A British man faces extradition for trafficking fentanyl that led to the deaths of two US submariners
Stoke-on-Trent: A British guy who loved Breaking Bad is in some serious trouble. Paul Nicholls is accused of trafficking a whopping £15 million worth of fentanyl. This stuff is no joke; it’s linked to the deaths of two US Navy submariners.
He’s being sent to the US after his last-ditch effort to stay in Europe got shot down. The 46-year-old, who used to write books under the name Nico Laeser, is said to have smuggled the drug through the dark web.
The fentanyl, which is way stronger than heroin, is believed to have killed Brian Jarrell and Ty Bell, two young mariners who were thought to be his customers. They both died just days apart, and it’s a real tragedy.
US authorities claim Nicholls ran a global smuggling operation with a partner, Thomas Federuik, between 2017 and 2018. Nicholls, who was living in Canada, has a background in writing about drug addiction, which is kind of ironic given the situation.
He even painted a picture of Walter White, the main character from Breaking Bad, who goes from teaching chemistry to making meth. Now, he’s facing some serious charges, including conspiracy and money laundering.
Despite denying everything, his extradition is in the works. The National Crime Agency is on it after his appeal was turned down. Prosecutors say the fentanyl he supplied led to the tragic overdoses of the two sailors stationed in Georgia.
Both men were found dead, and it’s been confirmed they died from fentanyl overdoses. Authorities tracked packages back to Nicholls and Federuik, who were caught dropping off shipments.
In 2018, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police raided their properties and found enough fentanyl to potentially kill thousands. After dropping off some parcels, Nicholls was arrested and sent back to the UK when his visa expired.
He’s currently in a London prison after being re-arrested last year while trying to fly to Thailand. His lawyer insists he had nothing to do with supplying drugs to the US. It’s a wild story, and it’s still unfolding.
