Love Island star admits more charges after being caught trafficking cocaine into UK in £53m drug smuggle

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A former Love Island contestant is facing jail after being caught smuggling cocaine into the UK in an ‘Amazon-style’ drugs operation which was worth an estimated £53million - and she’s now admitted extra charges.

Magdalena Sadlo, now aged 30, appeared on the Polish version of the hit reality dating TV show in 2021. She first plead guilty to transporting the Class A drug between March 2022 and May 2023 at Carlisle Crown Court in July. She has now admitted extra charges of smuggling and money laundering.

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Sadlo could be facing a prison sentence because of her crime. The TV personality was caught as part of an investigation codenamed Operation Matrix after flying into London’s Heathrow Airport from Dubai.

New details given in court also revealed she spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on watches, handbags and other luxury designer items with the money she made from carrying out the crime. The disgraced star bought a £130,000 Patek Philippe watch, a £30,000 Rolex, Louis Vuitton bags and clothes.

While appearing on Love Island, Saldo described herself as a “spontaneous, self-confident blonde who you can count on” and bragged that she had previously “stolen” someone’s partner before. She was introduced as one of the Casa Amor bombshells, which are new contestants brought in to tempt existing contestants and test partnerships. Her time on the show was short-lived, however.

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Saldo’s LinkedIn page said she worked in sales until earlier this year, and in January she co-founded a luxury yacht rental company in Dubai. Labelled as “one-stop shop for all boat rental and events”, it claimed to provide “hospitality and VIP experiences”. “From birthdays that sparkle on the sea to picture-perfect proposals, intimate engagement parties, sophisticated dinner soirées, to high-stakes corporate gatherings – we captain it all!” its website read.

Saldo wrote on her LinkedIn page that she had “a passion for looking after clients”. The former reality TV star, who was previously said to live in Bracknell, Berkshire, will be sentenced later this year.

Love Island star Magdalena Sadlo, aged 30, is facing a jail sentence after being caught smuggling cocaine in to London from Dubai as part of a large drugs operation. Photo by Instagram.Love Island star Magdalena Sadlo, aged 30, is facing a jail sentence after being caught smuggling cocaine in to London from Dubai as part of a large drugs operation. Photo by Instagram.
Love Island star Magdalena Sadlo, aged 30, is facing a jail sentence after being caught smuggling cocaine in to London from Dubai as part of a large drugs operation. Photo by Instagram. | Instagram

Ten men who were also involved in the drug operation were sentenced to more than 106 years in prison after admitting to conspiracy to supply the Class A substance. Sadlo admitted conspiring to supply the Class A drug from May 2022 to May 2023. She has now admitted extra charges of smuggling and money laundering at Carlisle crown court relating to an arrest after she flew to Heathrow from Abu Dhabi.

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Sadlo’s barrister Peter Corrigan told the court: “The police downloaded her phones and computers which give rise to the new charges. At the same time they seized the property she has got, including expensive jewellery and watches.”

Prosecutor Tim Evans previously told one hearing that the drugs operation was “truly-massive”. While the maximum sentence for smuggling a Class A drug is up to seven years in prison, supply and production offences carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, an unlimited fine or both. Evans said: “This is Amazon-style drug-dealing with that level of organisation and commerciality about it.”

The operation worth up to an estimated £53million was uncovered when police seized a 1kg supply of cocaine in Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District last February. The drug had been imported from abroad before being warehoused and then distributed to towns and cities across the UK including Cumbria, Hexham and Newcastle.

Saldo will remain in custody until her sentencing later this year.