Roger Clarke, 79, who was previously convicted as a drug courier, has been released from prison and says he has returned to Spain for a holiday. Clarke was sentenced to eight years in prison for trafficking cocaine valued at around £1 million from the Caribbean, a crime he committed alongside his late wife, Susan Clarke.

The couple, originally from Chatham, Kent, were apprehended on the Marco Polo cruise ship as it docked in Lisbon in December 2018. Authorities arrested them for carrying significant quantities of cocaine. Susan Clarke, 72, died of cancer in her Lisbon prison cell shortly before Roger was extradited back to the UK in 2021.

Roger Clarke’s first prison term related back to 2011 when he and Susan were convicted as part of an “organised criminal group” importing cannabis estimated at £1 million. Following his most recent conviction, Clarke served more than half of his eight-year sentence before seeking release.

In 2024, while allowed on day release, Clarke publicly contested the length of his incarceration, arguing he should have been freed in 2022. He also cited serious health concerns requiring a pacemaker. These complaints reportedly led to his transfer to a higher-security prison unit.

Clarke has now confirmed through a social media post that he has traveled to Rojales in Alicante, Spain, to resume a lifestyle he once enjoyed there with Susan. Rojales is situated near Guardamar del Segura, where the couple previously owned a villa and were known to participate in local social activities, including playing golf at a nearby bar’s golf society.

Sources close to the case expressed surprise at his public profile following his release. One remarked on the toll his time in jail had taken but also questioned the decision to openly publicize his travels given his past convictions.

Clarke has indicated plans to pursue a human rights claim seeking approximately £60,000 in compensation related to what he describes as “false imprisonment.” He maintains that he was manipulated into transporting the drugs by an acquaintance and has expressed regret over the losses suffered, including the death of his wife and the impact on his personal life.