A drug dealer has been jailed after he was found to be using Encrochat and police seized a gun from his house.
Bradley Hughes used the the handle 'two-times' to supply class A and class B drugs between April 2020 and July 2020.
Detectives raided the house of the 31-year-old, from Hatfield Gardens, Huyton, on Thursday, July 15 after discovering his identity through the encrypted phone network.
READ MORE: Mum's diagnosis after feeling something wrong while drinking coffee
During the raid, Operation Venetic officers found and seized a gun and class A drugs and he was arrested.
On Monday, January 10, he was jailed for 10 years for his drug offences and for having a firearm without a certificate, following a guilty plea.
Hughes’ sentencing is part of an operation involving European law enforcement agencies working with the NCA, and supported across the UK by police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units.
The operation came about after law enforcement officials in Europe managed to crack the ‘Encrochat’ service being used by criminals involved in serious and organised crime to carry out their business.
Detective Inspector Chris Lowe said: "Hughes is one of the latest in a long line of criminals that we’ve put behind bars as part of our ongoing investigation into drug supply in Merseyside.
"Hughes 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 jail time.
"Our work to track these criminals down and bring down serious and organised criminal groups remain ongoing.
"To those who we haven’t got to yet, our message is clear … expect the knock at the door.
"Merseyside Police, along with law enforcement agencies across the world, will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of those people who think they are above the law, and we will continue to target anyone involved in serious organised crime to keep this positive momentum going."
