39 Drug Dealers Brought Down in Massive EncroChat Bust
Thirty-nine criminals are now behind bars following a massive East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) crackdown. The probe kicked off in April 2020 after the encrypted chat network EncroChat was smashed in a huge international police operation.
Encrypted Chats Exposed Multi-Kilo Cocaine and Heroin Rings
Many of those sentenced used EncroChat to organise the supply of huge kilos of cocaine and heroin, mainly from January to September 2020. Police used recovered data to reveal a vast criminal network spanning the UK and crossing international borders.
Six Sentenced This Friday, Another Last Week
- Mark Corbett, 42, got 17½ years
- Darren Corbett, 50, received 8 years
- Craig Waterhouse, 60, jailed for 9 years
- Kane Farrell, 29, handed 6 years 9 months
- Dorrell Phillip-Potter, 32, given 6 years 8 months
- Steven Kelly, 38, sentenced to 7 years 6 months
- Kenneth Laffey, 56, sentenced last week to 16 months suspended plus unpaid work
Key Players and Their Role in the Criminal Enterprise
Mark Corbett masterminded the movement of class A drugs and criminal cash across the UK, with Darren Corbett acting as his courier. Craig Waterhouse both supplied drugs and ferried cash. Some drugs were sent to an East Midlands gang, previously convicted for related conspiracies.
Kane Farrell and Dorrell Phillip-Potter distributed drugs onwards. Farrell was caught with more cocaine and a staggering £160,000 in cash linked to drug dealing.
Steven Kelly moved drugs between Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and the North West, caught with around 2kg of amphetamine intended for sale. Kenneth Laffey, connected to Mark Corbett, was found with large amounts of cannabis and related documentation.
Jail Terms Reflect the Scale of the Crime
Mark Corbett, formerly from Cheshire, admitted three conspiracies to supply cocaine and one to transfer criminal cash, earning 17 years and six months behind bars.
Darren Corbett, from Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to drug supply and handling criminal property, sentenced to 8 years.
Waterhouse, found guilty after trial, got 9 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering.
Farrell, who admitted multiple drug and money offences, received nearly 7 years; Phillip-Potter got 6 years 8 months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin.
Kelly, guilty on some counts and found guilty after trial on others, was locked up for 7 years and 6 months.
Last week’s sentencing saw Laffey given a 16-month suspended sentence, 100 hours of unpaid work, and £1,200 costs for cannabis offences.
This sweeping operation shows no mercy for those using tech to run drug empires. The crackdown sends a stark warning to criminals across the UK.
