In a significant victory for law enforcement, British drug dealer Benjamin Levy May, a fugitive who had been evading authorities while living in Cape Town, has been extradited back to the UK.

His return follows a successful bail opposition by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

May was deported on Thursday night, January 29, via Cape Town International Airport, where he now faces serious charges for his involvement in drug trafficking.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape, Advocate Nicolette Bell, welcomed the extradition of a fugitive from justice, Benjamin Leslie May, following the State’s successful opposition to his release on bail.

According to Eric Ntabazalila, Regional Communications for the NPA, May is wanted in his country, the United Kingdom, for dealing in Class A drugs, cocaine.

He said the Office of the Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions received a request in terms of the European Convention on Extradition from the United Kingdom in February last year.

The request follows a warrant of arrest issued by District Judge David Webster sitting at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on September 26,  2023.

“It stated that May was being sought on two charges of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, cocaine.,” he explained.

“The first offence occurred between August 6, 2019 and  June 13, 2020, and the second charge occurred between May 25, 2020 and June 13, 2020.

The NPA detailed that May conspired with six others to supply a quantity of cocaine, a controlled drug of Class A, to another.

The other six accused have been arrested and sentenced. 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.

Ntabazalila added that he used the Encrochat handles ‘illusive bone’ and ‘splitcactus.

On June 6 2020, a drug courier was arrested while transporting 12kg of cocaine to South Wales. May’s fingerprints were recovered from one of the two black bags containing 6 kg of cocaine.

“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. May left the country shortly after these messages were sent,” Ntabazalila explained.

“It is also alleged that one of his associates, Daniel Gallagher, based in Liverpool, was the importer of cocaine into the United Kingdom. Gallagher used the EncroChat handle” titanium-soldier. Gallagher, along with an unidentified EncroChat handle called ‘immaculate balloon’ were responsible for importing wholesale quantities of cocaine into the United Kingdom.

“May acted on Gallagher’s direction and was involved in couriering large volumes of cash generated from the sale of imported cocaine between the north of England and London.

“He undertook this work himself but also used couriers to carry out journeys. Given the large quantities of money involved, this was not a straightforward process, and so vehicles with hidden compartments were used to conceal the money.”

Ntabazalila said May fled the country on June 7 2020, travelling by train through the Eurotunnel from Folkestone, England, arriving in Coquelles, France, the same evening.

He then fled to Cape Town. The Cape Town Magistrate’s Court issued a warrant for his arrest on February 17 2025 in terms of Section 5(1)(b) of the Extradition Act, No. 67 of 1962.

Police arrested May on February 18, 2025 and he appeared at the Wynberg Magistrates Court on February 19, 2025.

He added that the court postponed the case to March 12, 2025 for his bail application.

In his bail application, Senior State Advocate Maresa Engelbrecht argued that May used illegal means to stay in South Africa.

His passport expired on  August 6 2024, and an investigation revealed that he cancelled it prior to its expiry date so that he could replace it with a new one.

“On July 4 2024, he applied for a new passport and provided a residential address in Spain. She further argued that according to the British NCA International Liaison Office, May has a history of failing to surrender to the police and court custody and offending whilst on bail,” Ntabazalila.

“He has successfully evaded law enforcement in the United Kingdom and overseas.

“He played an integral part in an organised crime group who were importing and distributing huge amounts of cocaine and laundering millions of pounds. Conditions such as surrendering his passport will not deter him from escaping again.”

Ntabazalila said May had the means to survive whilst on the run from authorities, all the while continuing his criminal enterprise.

“There is a strong likelihood that he will flee to avoid extradition to the United Kingdom. The only reasonable conclusion that can be made from the facts is that the applicant fled the United Kingdom to avoid criminal prosecution. It is submitted that it is not in the interests of justice to grant the applicant bail,” he detailed.

The court agreed with the State’s arguments and denied him bail on May 23, 2025. He was deported.

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