Terence Earle, Stephen Earle, and Colin Wright were sentenced after leading a multi-million pound drug trafficking operation
An extensive drug operation led by two cousins and a Scottish dad saw huge quantities of drugs imported and supplied before a search of a lorry search brought it all down. The organised crime group (OCG) was led by 'kingpin' Terence Earle and his cousin Stephen, who used the EncroChat handles 'ThickBoar' and 'Octo-hand'. They worked with Colin Wright, from Motherwell in Scotland, to import drugs from 'Europe and beyond' before trafficking them across the UK.
The gang also stashed hundreds of kilograms of a drug in a Blackpool holiday park, which they used to create amphetamines in a secret £1 million lab in Scotland. However, the gang's racket was finally unravelled by a National Crime Agency (NCA) probe, codenamed Operation Joyfully, which was set up to investigate the three men's criminal empire. And following three separate sentencing hearings at Liverpool Crown Court, the three are now all behind bars, where they will remain for much of the next decade. Following the sentencing of Wright, 38, this week, the gang's operations can be revealed in full. The investigation formed part of Operation Venetic, the UK NCA-led law enforcement response to the takedown of the encrypted communication platform EncroChat. EncroChat was described this week in court as 'the platform of choice for those on the upper echelons of serious and organised criminality'. The investigation was launched into the importation of drugs from Europe and beyond that was being supplied in England and Scotland. The probe was built around the analysis of EncroChat messages, handed to the NCA by their European counterparts following the hacking of the encrypted messaging platform, 'supplemented by some careful surveillance evidence'. The Earles and Wright, who used the handle 'Jack-Nicklaus', enlisted the help of subordinates such as Stanley Feerick and Stephen King to carry out illicit activitie
DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZED CRIME ENCROCHAT NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY SENTENCING
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Drug kingpin and torturer team up as Scots hoods aim to keep peace among riotersMark Richardson and Colin Coats have formed an unlikely double act.
Read more »
Judge refuses to ban Glasgow drug-kingpin Jamie 'Iceman' Stevenson from organised crime after jailStevenson - who once featured on the National Crime Agency’s list for the 12 most wanted men in Britain - had planned to flood Scotland with millions of Etizolam tablets, known as street valium.
Read more »
Drug kingpin 'Thor' and gang attempted £140m cocaine smuggling operation'You have chosen to involve yourselves in very serious crime knowing that severe consequences would follow should you be caught.'
Read more »
Scottish Drug Kingpin Jailed for Nine YearsScott Allan, a 45-year-old Scottish man, was sentenced to nine years in prison for directing a criminal organization involved in drug trafficking and money laundering.
Read more »
Kingpin had no idea his criminal empire was about to fall to piecesThe drug operation was led by 'kingpin' Terence Earle and his cousin Stephen, who worked with Scottish arm of gang Colin Wright
Read more »
Boots shoppers race for 'luxurious' Liz Earle Christmas set with £55 savingThe £38 gift set is included in the retailer's 'Star Gifts' range and it features four of the luxury firm's bestselling products.
Read more »