Drug Dealer Busted After Thinking Encryption Phone Was Safe
Cracked EncroChat Leads to Major Drug Bust
Lee Prescott, 35, believed he was safely buying kilogram blocks of class A drugs using the secret EncroChat mobile platform. But unknown to him, international law enforcement agencies had cracked the software wide open.
kent-police/" title="Kent Police" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Kent Police uncovered messages showing Prescott arranged to buy 6kg of cocaine and 20kg of cannabis between April and May 2020. Operating under the moniker ‘Jungle Painter’, he was caught red-handed as a key player in a major drug supply network.
Evidence of Personal Drug Pickups
Police proved Prescott personally collected kilogram blocks of cocaine on two occasions — once in West Kingsdown and again in South Darenth. Surveillance and intercepted messages painted a clear picture of his drug dealings, including regular chats about price and quality.
Arrest Uncovers Weapons at Greenhithe Home
Officers swooped on Prescott’s home in Knockhall Road, Greenhithe, on 28 March 2023. Alongside drugs evidence, they found an extendable baton and a knuckleduster, adding weapons charges to his file.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis, plus possession of offensive weapons, just before being sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on 14 July.
Detective Warns ‘No Place for Drug Dealers in Kent’
“Lee Prescott and criminals like him thought their illegal chats were private,” said Detective Constable Martin Lacey from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate. “But thanks to the bravery and partnership of law enforcement abroad, we cracked the case and brought ‘Jungle Painter’ to justice.”
“Drugs ruin lives. There’s no place in Kent for anyone profiting from such misery.”
