The penetration of the EncroChat phone network has continued to compromise crime groups rooted in the east of the city.
The French Gendarmerie developed a software that could bypass the encryption of the Dutch EncroChat network that was used by crime groups across Europe. On Merseyside police have made nearly 200 arrests and secured 95 convictions resulting in combined prison sentences of over 1,100 years.
Over the last year a number of well known criminals across Huyton, Croxteth and West Derby have been arrested and jailed as a direct result of the operation. The police penetration of the encrypted phone network has compromised a number of entrenched crime groups across the east of the city.
READ MORE: Worst street for antisocial behaviour in Merseyside
Paul Moogan
The well known Croxteth man had been wanted since a massive police raid on a cafe in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. Police said although the Café de Ketel looked like a coffee shop behind the scenes it was meeting place for international drug gangs.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) realised that Moogan, who escaped the raid, was importing hundreds of kilos of cocaine into the UK from south America.
Moogan remained in hiding until April last year when he was arrested in Dubai. He had a German passport, and also a driver’s licence and citizen card in the name of Michael Dier but displaying his own image.
After being extradited to the UK, he told the NCA arresting officer: “You’re not going to have any trouble from me. “I’m tired now. Get me up to Manny ( Strangeways) and get me in Cat A. “I’m done now.”
On November 4 he appeared at Manchester Crown Court and admitted conspiring to import Class A drugs. The NCA said that Moogan had the ability to bribe port officials to help ensure his drugs were not stopped, and dealt directly with South American drug gangs. He is yet to be sentenced.
The Moogan brothers
Michael and Peter Moogan flooded a shared Encro phone with personal messages and information that provided police with 'compelling evidence' of their involvement in a drug plot.
In January 2022 Liverpool Crown court heard how the well known brothers were caught after they shared birthday messages on the Encro platform. David Watson, prosecuting, said: “In the case of both defendants the attribution evidence was compelling.”
The Moogans shared pictures of their children, vehicles, homes and relevant postcodes through EncroChat On April 1, 2020, Peter’s 38th birthday, happy birthday messages were received by their account.
The brothers, both from Huyton, were arrested in raids that led to the recovery of just over £26,000 found in a pillow case in Michael’s bedroom and £61,000 in a business park unit linked to Peter. They admitted conspiracy to supply both drugs and each jailed for 11 years and three months.
KP
Anthony Bowden,40, of Lancer Way in West Derby worked for mystery drug boss known as 'Jabba the Hut' who smuggled drugs into the UK from Holland. Bowden, who thought that he looked like former England player Kevin Phillips, and nicknamed himself KP.
Bowden operated under the handle HyenaJaw and "had close links" with the Star Wars-inspired boss. He "was closely trusted by" Jabba and "played a leading role" in the conspiracy, organising the purchase and sale of drugs "on a commercial scale" and arranged for couriers to transport the illicit substances.
Sentencing Bowden to 21 years Judge Anil Murray said: "Serving that sentence did not put you off committing very serious crime. You decided the risk of being caught was low and the high reward was worth it."
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the Jabba the Hutt gang was involved in the supply of more than 84kg of heroin and 17kg of cocaine. Of this amount, they had been responsible for the importation of more than 20kg of heroin and 4kg of coke.
Bowden operated under the handle HyenaJaw and "had close links" with the Star Wars-inspired boss. He "was closely trusted by" Jabba and "played a leading role" in the conspiracy, organising the purchase and sale of drugs "on a commercial scale" and arranged for couriers to transport them.
Michael Devine
Devine, of Pete Best Drive in West Derby, was jailed for over 17 years during a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court in August.
Devine, 45, who used the Encro handle 'lawfularbor', admitted conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracies to supply cocaine, heroin, amphetamines and ketamine.
One of Devine's messages to his associates, sent on the Encro network, read: "Will be no customs at airport its the largest private one in Europe lands commercial planes daily, and no response time for any body to do anything, this door can't be used regularly though every couple of years max with this way of landing or will look suspicious: They way this will land is when in the air they put a mayday call, under aviation law any airport has to take the landing, we accept the landing and log it as just an engine fault and unload quickly…"
The ECHO understands that Devine was well known in the city's criminal fraternity. Following the case, Detective Inspector Lee Wilkinson said: “Devine was supplying large amounts of illegal drugs and generating vast profits in doing so.
"He will now perhaps take time to reflect on the risks he took and the harm he caused, while serving his significant jail time."
Earlier this year Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen, head of investigations at Merseyside Police, spoke about the credibility of the evidence secured through the EncroChat investigation.
He said: "It's so impactive, it's almost go straight to jail effectively because the evidence is so powerful. And this is why I think some criminals have decided it's safer for them to leave the country. But we are continuing to investigate, that won't stop us, we will be waiting for you and we will be working with other law-enforcement agencies across Europe to ensure we track you down."
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