Four Greater Manchester drug dealers have been jailed over what police called a 'massive' operation that 'spanned the whole of the UK'. Mark Evans, Keith Kemp, John James (JJ) Reilly and Caine Tanswell were collectively locked up for a total of 35 years and eight months.
They were brought down by Greater Manchester Police under Operation Achilles after the encrypted Encrochat mobile phone network was deciphered by the National Crime Agency (NCA), allowing officers to intercept calls and messages.
Police said it allowed investigators to gather crucial evidence relating to drug transactions and supply, as well as money laundering, not only in Manchester but nationwide.
Evans, who used the Encrochat handle 'Mangystaff', acted largely as a courier, with some involvement in supplying class B drugs, GMP said. He travelled largely to Liverpool as well as London and Oxford and was also 'particularly active' in the Cheetham Hill and Oldham areas of Greater Manchester, police said after a Manchester Crown Court sentencing hearing.
Evans' 'Mangystaff' handle, police added, was also used by Kemp at times, who the force said was also a courier and was active as 'a main conspirator for his associates'.
Kemp would travel to Liverpool to drop off cash and collect drugs, as well as acting as a courier for other members of the group, said GMP, revealing he also made deliveries in Peterborough, London, Telford, Derby and Middlesborough.
Reilly used the Encrochat handle 'Wideorchid' and largely acted alone, but had connections with the rest of the group, police said. He also sourced Class A drugs for other members of the group and acted as a middleman for various drugs and money transactions, a GMP spokesman added.
Tanswell, who used the handle 'Ivyhawk', also acted largely alone, but purchased Class B drugs from another member of the group.
Evans , 37, of Brows Avenue, Wythenshawe, was jailed for 10 years and six months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, money laundering and handling stolen goods. Kemp, 44, of Marden Road, Wythenshawe, was also jailed for 10 year, six months for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, and money laundering.
Reilly, 39, of Broadoak Road, Wythenshawe, was jailed for 12 years, also for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and money laundering. Caine Tanswell, 28, of Yew Tree Lane, Wythenshawe, got two years, eight months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and money laundering.
In a statement, GMP said: "The men were snared by officers under codename Operation Achilles, an investigation carried out by GMP's Challenger Team, into the encrypted phone network based in south Manchester, where evidence was gathered relating to drug transactions and supply, and money laundering, not only in Manchester, but nationwide.
"This follows on from the huge success of Greater Manchester Police’s Operation Venetic investigations, which relates to the Encrochat mobile phone network being deciphered by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and which has been responsible for getting millions of pounds worth of drugs and cash of Manchester's streets.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Andrew Beard said: "We are absolutely thrilled with today’s result, which has seen four OCG members taken off the streets of Manchester for a considerable period of time. Since the Encrochat system was deciphered, GMP’’s Challenger Team have continued to hunt down and identify people who have been bringing drugs onto our streets and engaging in illegal activities to keep their drug supplies going.
"If you are involved in supplying drugs, money laundering or working within an organised crime group, we will identify you, arrest you and prosecute to the full extent of the law. We want to protect the people of Greater Manchester and there is no better way to do this than to get people, likes these four individuals, off the streets and behind bars.
"A lot of our intelligence comes from the members of the public and if you do have information relating to the dealing of drugs or any of the crimes we have mentioned today, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with GMP."
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