A man wanted by the National Crime Agency for eight years has admitted to being involved in large-scale international drug trafficking. It concerns Michael Moogan (36) from Croxteth near Liverpool, who was extradited from Dubai to British police in July . Moogan narrowly escaped in 2013 during a police raid on the notorious Rotterdam café De Ketel.

That cafe was a meeting place for people involved in international drug trafficking, it was not just open to the public but only accessible to familiar faces through a security system. Moogan turned up in a Dutch National Unit investigation. He was linked with others in plans to ship hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to the UK every month from South America.

Robert Hamilton, 71, was arrested near Manchester in the 2013 raid. He was jailed for eight years in 2014 after pleading drug charges. Another co-defendant, Robert Gerard (57) of Liverpool, turned himself in to the NCA after being on the run for three years. He also made statements and was sentenced to 14 years in prison in England in 2017.

According to the NCA, Moogan deposited $500,000 per shipment to Europe with South American suppliers, making those payments through Iraqis operating out of London. The South Americans shipped cocaine to various ports in Europe, and Moogan was responsible for hauling it out of the ports and transporting it within Europe.