UK fugitive wanted for cocaine trafficking extradited from Cape Town

A British fugitive wanted for trafficking cocaine has been extradited to the United Kingdom after South African authorities successfully opposed his release on bail.

NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabezitha said accused Benjamin Leslie May, wanted in the UK on charges of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, was deported after the Wynberg Magistrate's Court rejected his bail application in May last year.

Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv Nicolette Bell, welcomed the development, saying it marked an important step in ensuring that fugitives face justice.

May is wanted in Britain on two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, cocaine, linked to an organised crime network that used encrypted EncroChat devices to coordinate the movement and sale of drugs across the country.

“May was identified as the user of an encrypted EncroChat device responsible for arranging the distribution of cocaine to various contacts around the country, including in South Wales,” Ntabezitha said.

The case stems from June 2020, when a courier transporting 12 kilograms of cocaine to South Wales was arrested. Investigators later found May’s fingerprints on one of the bags containing the drugs.

“May’s fingerprints were recovered from one of the two black bags containing six kilograms of cocaine,” Ntabezitha said.

After messages were sent from the EncroChat handle linked to May referencing the courier’s arrest and indicating he was planning to flee, he left the UK and eventually arrived in Cape Town.

“Following the courier’s arrest, messages were sent by the EncroChat handle ‘splitcactus’ referencing the arrest and stating that he is planning to leave the country,” Ntabezitha said.

In opposing bail, the State argued that May had a history of evading law enforcement and continuing to offend while on the run.

“He has successfully evaded law enforcement in the United Kingdom and overseas,” Ntabezitha said.

“He played an integral part in an organised crime group who were importing and distributing huge amounts of cocaine and laundering millions of pounds.”

The court agreed with the State and denied bail in May 2025.

May was deported to the United Kingdom on Wednesday evening, January 29.

“There is a strong likelihood that he will flee to avoid extradition to the United Kingdom,” Ntabezitha said.

“It is not in the interests of justice to grant the applicant bail.”

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