A fugitive UK rapper has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in a multi-million-pound drug trafficking operation—after investigators linked him to the network through a distinctive gold chain. Arlten Lewis-Turner, 35, who performs under the name C Montana, was convicted of orchestrating a drugs ring believed to have generated up to £1 million a month.

Despite being charged in 2020, he fled while on bail in October 2024 after reportedly spending hundreds of thousands of pounds attempting to have the case dismissed through legal challenges.

He was ultimately found guilty in his absence in March and handed a 23-year prison sentence. Authorities say he remains on the run, with efforts ongoing to locate him.

Lewis-Turner had previously been released from custody in December 2020 despite opposition from the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police. Footage at the time showed him celebrating his release outside HMP Thameside, shortly before releasing a track titled “Boss Is Back,” referencing his return.

The case against him was built in part using evidence from the encrypted messaging platform EncroChat, which was infiltrated by French authorities in 2020. The data, later shared with the UK’s National Crime Agency and the Met Police, exposed communications between organised crime figures.

Prosecutors told the court that Lewis-Turner was linked to the EncroChat handle “thetrap,” with evidence including phone data, CCTV footage, and the discovery of his signature “Unique CM” chain at his apartment in Canary Wharf. The phone activity also placed him near key locations tied to the drug operation, including the Eurotunnel.

His co-defendant, Nagib Omar, 35, was arrested in May 2020 after being found with 38kg of heroin and 10kg of cocaine in west London. The drugs were estimated to have a combined street value of several million pounds. Omar later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Prosecutors said EncroChat messages revealed a large-scale distribution network involving multiple buyers and suppliers, with records indicating more than £1 million in credit circulating within the operation at any one time.

Lewis-Turner, who has appeared on BBC Radio 1Xtra and built a following through music videos such as “Drug Dealer” and “Big Rich,” is believed to have fled abroad, possibly to Dubai, although his current whereabouts remain unknown.

The story has sparked debate online, with followers of The Shade Borough sharing mixed reactions on Instagram. One user commented: “£1 million a month. He needs to be teaching the nation on sales and how to build an empire. Free him.” Another wrote: “And the lady who killed the child got 3 years. Make it make sense.” A third added: “He’s somewhere on a burner reading our comments…”