A Merseyside crook has copped a 13-year stretch after being busted stepping off a flight from Dubai. James Hitchmough, 35, was nailed thanks to messages he sent on the now-defunct encrypted network, EncroChat.
Huge Drug Ring Crushed in Operation Aquarium
Hitchmough, from Roby, was a key player in Operation Aquarium — Merseyside’s part of the international crackdown on criminals using EncroChat to evade police. From March to June 2020, he conspired to flood the streets with vast quantities of cocaine, heroin, and cannabis.
- Used Aliases: BRUTALHWALE and ROLL-PLAY
- Communicated with over 50 EncroChat users
- Co-ordinated sale of 64.5kg cocaine, 37.5kg heroin, and 33kg cannabis
- Managed illegal money transfers totalling £2.4 million
Police tracked Hitchmough’s moves from encoded messages. He lived in Huyton and drove a Ford van shuttling between Oldham and Manchester. Investigators even matched his fingerprints to a photo of his hand, snapped holding a crisps bag uploaded on EncroChat.
Detective: “He Thought He Was Untouchable”
“Hitchmough played a leading role in a huge conspiracy to supply dangerous illegal drugs,” said Detective Sergeant Craig Doyle. “He thought using EncroChat and fake names like BRUTALHWALE would keep him safe. He was so brazen he shared personal details and photos.
“But that info gave police the evidence to lock him up for a long time. We’re committed to shutting down drug flows into Merseyside and hitting dealers where it hurts — their cash.”
DS Doyle added the devastation drugs cause in local communities but warned, “Crime does not pay. We’ll now go after Hitchmough’s profits with a Proceeds of Crime Act application.”
