Four men branded “professional drug dealers” by a judge were slammed with a combined 48-year jail term after a massive bust on drug supply networks spanning Sussex.
Encrypted Chat Platform Leads to Cracking Major Drug Ring
Mitch Mellor (44), Ioannis Melitsis (48), Steven Morley (46), and Hafiz Irfan (44) all copped to playing key roles in a sprawling operation pushing Class A and B drugs. Their crime spree was uncovered thanks to the infiltration of EncroChat, a once-trusted encrypted messaging service for criminals, smashed in a National Crime Agency takedown.
Sentencing at Lewes Crown Court
At Lewes Crown Court on Tuesday, 17 March, the four guys pleaded guilty to a laundry list of offences tied to producing and distributing drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, ketamine, and amphetamines.
Judge Stephen Mooney didn’t hold back, calling them a “loose affiliation of dedicated drug suppliers” focused solely on profit, completely unmoved by the devastating impact on local communities.
“To put it bluntly you were all… professional drug dealers motivated solely by profit and entirely unconcerned about the huge impact of drug abuse.”
Who Got What?
- Steven Morley – Lewes Road, East Grinstead. Jailed 14 years. Arrested in 2021, linked to a £180,000 cash seizure. Identified as “incrediblehorse” on EncroChat. Admitted 11 charges, including drug supply, production, firearms possession, and electricity theft.
- Hafiz Irfan – Milton Mount Avenue, Crawley. Locked up for 9 years. £100,000 cash uncovered. Username “snowtart”. Pleaded guilty to six offences, including drug supply and money laundering.
- Mitch Mellor – Firle Road, Lancing. Sentenced to 13½ years. Caught in Brighton with 12.7kg of cannabis and £10,000 cash. Known as “speedyballoon” and “easternotter”. Admitted nine charges, including multi-drug supply and money laundering.
- Ioannis Melitsis – Hove Park Villas. Jailed 12 years. Arrested at Heathrow returning from Miami. Username “metalica”. Pleaded guilty to 11 charges, including supply and production of cocaine, methamphetamine, and ketamine.
Police Praise Complex Investigation
Chief Superintendent Imran Asghar hailed the probe for exposing the scale and sophistication of organised drug crime in Sussex:
“This was a complex investigation led by our Serious Organised Crime Unit to tackle a sophisticated group supplying Class A and B drugs in our communities. These men worked together and separately to supply harmful drugs which have a devastating impact. Vulnerable people are often exploited, and we will continue to target those responsible.”
He confirmed the painstaking work that linked each dealer directly to their role in the sinister network. Now, all four face years behind bars, removing major players from the streets.
