Two Kent drug dealers, nicknamed Exotic Painter and Special Filter, have been locked up for a total of more than 18 years. Roland Duffield and Timothy Gearing ran a cocaine supply racket using the encrypted messaging service EncroChat to stay under the radar – but their cover was blown.
Encrypted Chats Crack Criminal Code
EncroChat was the go-to secret texting platform for criminals, who used code names to hide their identities. Thanks to an international law enforcement hack in spring 2020, police got access to their messages. Kent Police quickly zeroed in on Duffield (Exotic Painter), who bought kilos of cocaine wholesale, and Gearing (Special Filter), who sourced drugs from distant suppliers and grew cannabis for sale. Their encrypted chats showed they regularly met to split drugs and swap cash.
Stolen Car Packed With Drugs Seals Fate
Police hit a jackpot on 23 November 2020 when they stopped a stolen Land Rover in Snodland. Inside, officers found 13 kilos of vacuum-packed cannabis and keys linked to Gearing. The vehicle had false plates, and Gearing was insured as a driver. 
Gearing’s arrest on 5 July 2022 uncovered a sprawling cannabis grow across two bedrooms and a basement. The stolen car keys matched his home. Duffield was nabbed the next day at his Gravesend address.
Sentenced: Nearly Two Decades Behind Bars
- Gearing, 63, pled guilty to multiple offences, including cocaine supply, cannabis production, and possession of criminal property.
- Duffield, 56, denied charges but was found guilty of involvement in cocaine supply after a five-day trial.
On 16 April, Gearing received nine years and four months, while Duffield was handed nine years in prison. 
Detective Constable Steve Brown said: “These men thought using encrypted phones would let them get away with it. But our determination broke their supply chain. Just like others caught using EncroChat, Gearing and Duffield are now behind bars. We’ll keep targeting anyone trying to flood Kent with illegal drugs.”
