12 May 2026
Benjamin Jake Bartlett Noble, aged 24 and from Stockport, was sentenced by the Royal Court to three years and four months imprisonment yesterday for the postal importation of 57.15 grams of cocaine hidden in candles.
On Monday 22 July 2024, Customs and Immigration Officers intercepted a postal packet at Jersey Postal Headquarters declared as containing “three candles" addressed to a property in St Helier, in the fictitious name of “Sue Cooper". Examination of the candles revealed that two of them had been hollowed out and concealed within were packages containing cocaine. The street value of the cocaine discovered was £14,300.
Officers executed a search warrant at the St Helier address and arrested Bartlett Noble. During the search a “Sorry we missed you" postal docket in the name of Sue Cooper was discovered. During interview Bartlett Noble denied all knowledge of the packet containing drugs but had contacted the post office and paid for the packet to be re-delivered to his address. Digital examination of his phone revealed searches relating to the tracking number of the parcel and audio evidence confirmed his arrangement and payment for re-delivery of the packet, despite it being addressed to a different name.
During the course of the investigation, Bartlett Noble relocated to the UK. An arrest warrant was issued, and he was arrested in Camborne in January 2026 before being returned to Jersey to be charged. Whilst Bartlett Noble initially denied the offence, he later pleaded guilty to the charge of importation on the basis that he was due to receive the packet and hand it on to an unnamed third party.
Paul Le Monnier, Senior Manager at Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, said: “This was a fairly sophisticated attempt to import cocaine through the postal system. Despite Bartlett Noble's best efforts to evade prosecution, he has now been sentenced for his role in the importation. JCIS continues to work closely with Jersey Post and law enforcement partners to disrupt those who attempt to exploit postal services to import drugs into Jersey."
gov.je