Dozens of children were exploited in a scheme to smuggle nearly $2.5 million worth of cannabis, MDMA, cocaine and ketamine by mail into the island of Jersey off the coast of northwest France. The exploited kids, living in Jersey, would receive mailed articles stuffed with drugs at their homes—teddy bears, karaoke machines or pillows—and then hand them over to drug dealers in the isolated British territory.
The case serves as a warning for parents everywhere that their children can be exploited by drug peddlers.
The ringleader of the scheme, Mohammed Babrul Hussain, 32, was arrested, tried, convicted and jailed in 2024 and is now serving a sentence of seven and a half years. Hussain has a lengthy criminal record, with previous convictions for common assault, automobile-related offences, theft, breach of court orders and possession of cannabis. He was also convicted of money laundering and of having over $16,000 in “criminal property” linked to his drug activities.
But still free after his conviction were his “enforcers”—his local associates who kept the kids in line and obedient through intimidation or rewards. And now, the hammer of justice has finally come down on them as well.
Jersey islander Elijah McManus, 20, received a three-year sentence, while Joseph Barratt, 20, got two years and six months. Monica Nobrega, 20, was sentenced to two years; Rory Ribeiro, 19, was given two years; and Malibu Brennan, 20, received a sentence of 100 hours of community service for possession of criminal property.
Sometimes the children they manipulated wouldn’t even know drugs were involved—they were just told a package would arrive and where to take it. Then they would sneak out at night or say they were ill and stay home from school, receive the parcels and pass them to local drug dealers.
Forty-three of the children who were directly involved are now under the protection of specialized agencies to prevent them from being further exploited. Children as young as 12 were manipulated into cooperation by either threats or small rewards.
“There [were] initially offers of reward,” said Acting Inspector Kate Young of the Jersey Police. “It could be low-value items, free amounts of drugs or it could be high-value items such as designer clothing, etc. That manipulation then increased to threats of violence as they became more involved. The young people that were used in this operation were basically used as mules.”
The case serves as a warning for parents everywhere that their children can be exploited by drug peddlers. Young said: “I think what this case highlighted is how easy it can be and the fact that it is so easy means that any young person is at risk.”
Police warn that parents should be on the lookout for signs like a drop in school attendance, a new phone or more than one phone, leaving the house late at night, having money they cannot explain, new clothing, high-value items or mysterious injuries.
The operation that ended up dismantling the drug smuggling ring began by the discovery of a drug-laden package by the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, senior manager Luke Goddard said.
“It was one parcel amongst a number of others that we had seized at the Post Office. A few of the others we could identify were involved in the groups we already knew about.… If you’ve got youngsters receiving commercial amounts of cannabis, you know that individual won’t be doing it for themselves. It didn’t take much to start bringing it together.”
Jersey police began watching the mail for suspicious parcels. It wasn’t long before they hit pay dirt.
“The Defendant (Hussain) was concerned in the importation of an intercepted parcel containing 732.71 g of herbal cannabis and 965.13 g of cannabis resin, and at least eight further importations containing unquantifiable amounts of cannabis,” court documents state. “Various messages and tracking labels on his phone evidenced that the Defendant had been receiving addresses and forwarding them on to UK associates. This ultimately resulted in parcels containing these controlled substances being delivered to the home addresses of juveniles, although some were intercepted before delivery.”
“I commend colleagues at both the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service and States of Jersey Police and all involved who worked with them to bring this complex case to court,” Home Affairs and Justice Minister Mary Le Hegarat said.
“The work undertaken covered not only criminal aspects, ensuring criminal activity was interrupted at all levels, but also, importantly, safeguarding young people in Jersey.”
Police are also reported to be looking into local businesses and banks that may have been involved in hiding and laundering the money; further arrests may soon follow.
Hussain’s attorney, Sarah Dale, told the court Hussain was “trying to get out of [the drug trade] for the last few months.”
She added, “Mr. Hussain is sorry for his actions and he has provided a letter to the court where he sets out his deepest regrets and remorse.”
You were using children, pal. That’s as low as it gets.
See you in seven and a half years.
