Home / Crime and Justice / Rapper C Montana Nabbed by Gold Chain: $1M/Month Drug Ring Busted
Rapper C Montana Nabbed by Gold Chain: $1M/Month Drug Ring Busted
21 Apr
Summary
- Rapper C Montana sentenced to 23 years for multi-million dollar drug ring.
- Fugitive status ended after being identified by distinctive gold chain.
- Operation involved importing 10kg cocaine and 38kg heroin monthly.
Rapper Arlten Lewis-Turner, widely recognized as C Montana to his 34,000 Instagram followers, has been sentenced to 23 years for his involvement in a substantial drug smuggling operation. This operation, believed to have generated as much as £1 million per month, saw the importation of 10kg of cocaine and 38kg of heroin.
Lewis-Turner's downfall was significantly linked to a gaudy gold necklace, later found in his luxury apartment. This distinctive accessory, bearing the inscription 'Unique CM,' was crucial in police identifying him as the user of an anonymous EncroChat handle, 'thetrap.' This encrypted communication system was infiltrated by French police in April 2020.
Initially charged in 2020, Lewis-Turner was granted bail in December of that year, despite opposition from authorities. He absconded in October 2024 after his legal team's extensive efforts to dismiss the EncroChat evidence failed, even reaching the European Court of Human Rights. His current location remains unknown, with police actively pursuing leads.
His co-defendant, Nagib Omar, was apprehended with significant quantities of drugs and an EncroChat phone. Omar pleaded guilty and received a 12-year sentence. Lewis-Turner's career included appearances in rap videos and a freestyle segment on BBC Radio 1Xtra.
