Drug smuggler Stephen Seabrook was jailed at Isleworth Crown Court
(Picture: Met Police)A member of an organised crime group who arranged large drug deals using encrypted devices has been jailed.
Stephen Seabrook, 57, was snared as part of Operation Eternal which saw experts infiltrating the system Encrochat - a network where criminals believed they could communicate without being detected.
He was sentenced to nine years at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday.
Seabrook, from Uxbridge, west London, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs at the same court on 21 April.
The smuggler was arrested on July 2, 2020, at his home address following an attempt to evade officers by jumping out of a window, the court had heard.
Since launching in the summer of 2020, Operation Eternal has resulted in more than 500 arrests, with a large quantity of drugs and firearms seized.
Detective Sergeant Bryn Jefferies, from the Met’s Specialist Crime team, who led the investigation, said: “Seabrook played an active role in arranging the sale of cocaine in bulk. He was part of a much bigger drug-dealing network which the Met has been working hard to dismantle as part of Operation Eternal.
“The link between drug-dealing and violence is clear and the consequences cause misery in communities across London. We will continue to stop drug suppliers from operating and profiting from their illegal activity, and bring them to justice.”
Information from communities about crime is vital to police. To report crime, call 101 or 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.
