Mark Ransome, 61, and Cara Leach, 42, both from Essex, were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs. The pair were arrested in July 2020 following an investigation by the National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service’s Organised Crime Partnership, which exposed their roles in supplying large quantities of cocaine to organised crime groups across the UK.
Encrochat Crackdown
Ransome used an encrypted EncroChat phone, codenamed ‘beanflicka’, to communicate anonymously with two organised crime groups. Operation Venetic, the UK-led response to the international EncroChat takedown, allowed investigators to intercept millions of messages, uncovering Ransome’s involvement in distributing at least 181 kilos of cocaine with an estimated street value of £15.7 million.
Hidden Drug Storage
Using storage units in Malden and Great Totham, Essex, provided by Ransome, the trafficked cocaine was unpacked and distributed within the criminal networks. He charged gang members substantial fees for access, including £10,000 monthly and £2,500 per use on the units, and even offered his own homes and businesses as cover for illicit operations.
Courier And Cover Stories
Leach acted as a courier, transporting large sums of cocaine and cash for Ransome without using EncroChat herself. During the Covid-19 lockdown, the duo posed as key workers, wearing UPS uniforms and using fake documentation printed by Ransome to avoid police suspicion while moving drugs and money.
Sentencing And Investigation Outcome
Following their guilty pleas in January 2026, the pair were given a combined sentence of 18 years in prison. The case highlights the critical role of encrypted communication investigations and cross-agency cooperation in dismantling organised drug supply networks across Essex and beyond.
