A gang of British soldiers trafficking cocaine sold almost £100,000 worth of drugs to colleagues and spent the profits on a Rolex watch and Christian Louboutin shoes, a court martial heard.
The “network” of four Marines traded a kilogram of the Class A drug for up to £100 a gram to other servicemen in an Army barracks over a three-year period, a panel was told.
One of them, who boasted of cutting cocaine with caffeine, was rejected by the group's leader after showing off his profits by packaging luxury designer goods.
Another ran a “double bubble” payday loan scheme for colleagues which the court heard contributed to the suicide of a young gunman, 20-year-old Nathan Worner.
Bulford Military Court heard Rifleman Claudius Scott orchestrated the operation which saw cocaine brought into the army base from west London.
Former Marine Claudius Scott (pictured outside Bulford Military Court) was the leader of a quartet of British soldiers who traded thousands of dollars worth of cocaine for colleagues
Marine Ryan Saedi (pictured) was Scott's second-in-command and commanded the operation throughout the week. He also 'helped obtain' larger quantities of cocaine during COVID
Rfn Scott was dealing cocaine with other military personnel and had four other members of the 5th Rifle Battalion dealing on his behalf.
He is believed to have had a hand in up to 671 grams of the total cocaine sold.
Second in command was Rifleman Ryan Saedi, who worked with other 'trusted dealers' Lance Corporal Bradley Hesketh, 27, and Rifleman Ashleigh Walker.
The group of cocaine dealers whipped up a gram of cocaine for £90 each, pocketing £10 for themselves from each sale, the court heard.
Rfn Saedi was said to have played an 'important part' in the operation and would be in command during the week.
He also “helped obtain” larger quantities of cocaine after the COVID lockdown “impacted” its availability in March 2020.
Rfn Scott and Rfn Saedi, both aged 31, each made more than £40,000 from their crimes
Saedi is estimated to be involved in the supply of 100g of cocaine, while Rfn Walker, 29, and LCpl are involved in sales of 160g.
The quartet – who were part of the 5th Marine Battalion – admitted conspiracy to supply drugs.
Prosecutor Will Martin told the court the drug trafficking “ring” took place over a period of almost three years, between January 2018 and December 2020.
'Scott, Saedi, Walker and Hesketh played a role in providing [cocaine] to other service personnel,' he said.
Lance Corporal Bradley Hesketh, 27, and Rifleman Ashleigh Walker (pictured) were two 'trusted' dealers
Rfn Saedi implemented a 'double bubble' system, which required any cash-strapped colleague who asked him for a loan to pay double the amount on their next payday
In a message to his brother, he said of his borrowers: 'These men are telling me sad stories – their cat died, they had to pay for the funeral, I don't give a fuck.'
He said that after an analysis of messages and bank statements, a “conservative estimate” for the total cocaine sold was one kilogram.
Mr Martin continued: 'The conspiracy was straightforward.
'A larger quantity of cocaine would be acquired in west London and sold to service staff. It was known that they were drug traffickers.
'The cocaine itself would be paid for in cash or bank transfer, with profits derived at a mark of up to £90 to £100 per gram, which the defendants could charge due to restricted access to the barracks.'
The court also heard how the foursome would also “cut” their product with a Pro Plus caffeine product.
Rfn Scott kept a comprehensive list of people who owed him money in a notes app on his phone.
In separate messages read to the court, LCpl Hesketh boasted about the money he had been making from drug dealing.
When a package of cocaine arrived, he texted an accomplice: 'We're going to need to do some magic work on it.'
In another exchange, Rfn Scott expressed “some concern” about LCpl Hesketh’s lack of discretion after he was spotted wearing a Rolex and new Christian Louboutin shoes.
After telling him to 'relax', LCpl Hesketh replied: 'Okay my G, my bad.'
When told that it wouldn't “take long” for people to find out where he was getting his money if he continued, he replied: “They ask me and I just say: Forex [foreign currency] negotiation.'
LCpl Hesketh was arrested in December 2020 when his wallet tested positive for cocaine. He admitted keeping the drugs in his room in the name of Rfn Scott.
When Rfn Scott was arrested and found with £6,000 in cash.
An examination of his bank accounts revealed he received £45,000, which could be attributed to drug sales.
Rfn Scott, 31, kept a comprehensive list of people who owed him money in a notes app on his phone who made more than £40,000 from his crimes
One of his Rfn Saedi's loan customers was Rfn Nathan Worner (pictured), aged 20, who tragically killed himself at Bulford Barracks in May 2020. Before his death he paid Saedi £900 every payday after remove the 'double bubble' loan
His mother, Alison Blackwell, said that although Rfn Saedi was not directly responsible, she was 'haunted' by the idea of his influence in her son's death
Rfn Walker also received a “large number” of £90 payments which totaled £20,500 and was taken into custody in December 2021.
After his arrest, Rfn Saedi denied any involvement in the sale of cocaine and initially claimed that he had made money from his payday loan scheme.
The court heard there was a “culture of lending money at high interest rates” within the battalion.
Rfn Saedi implemented a “double bubble” system, which required any cash-strapped colleague who asked him for a loan to pay double the amount on their next payday.
It was heard that Rfn Saedi received £43,000 in payments during his scheme, which sometimes involved him demanding passports as a security deposit.
The court heard he would “persistently pursue” those who owed him money, pressuring them and threatening them to take out further loans to meet his repayments.
In a message to his brother, he said of his borrowers: 'These men are telling me sad stories – their cat died, they had to pay for the funeral, I don't give a fuck.'
One of his clients was Rfn Nathan Worner, aged 20, who tragically killed himself at Bulford Barracks in May 2020.
After receiving payments of almost £3,000 in the months before his death, it emerged that he had not repaid Rfn Saedi on time.
As a result, Rfn Saedi obtained Rfn Worner's home address and included it in a message that said: 'Bruv, send me my money or I will come to your house.'
The court heard he eventually arranged a payment plan for Rfn Worner where he would send him up to £900 a month on payday before his death.
In a statement read to the court, his mother, Alison Blackwell, said that although Rfn Saedi was not directly responsible, she was “haunted” by the idea of his influence in her son's death.
“I believe their greed and intimidation would have at least contributed to his state of mind,” she said.
The quartet – who were part of the 5th Marine Battalion – admitted conspiracy to supply drugs. Sentencing continues at Bulford Military Court (photo)
Although Rfn Saedi was not prosecuted in relation to his death, Mr Martin said: '[He] lent money to vulnerable people and was, at best, indifferent to their plight.'
In relation to his loan scheme, Rfn Saedi admitted conduct prejudicial to good order.
He also admitted disobedience of lawful command, after trying to contact LCpl partner Hesketh following his arrest.
LCpl Hasketh also admitted possession of criminal property for withholding cash and cocaine from Rfn Scott.
Rfn Scott and Rfn Saedi have since left the army.
The sentencing hearing continues.
