Rolex watches, designer clothes and handbags were among the luxury haul seized by police from an Encrochat dealer.
Michael Morson, 32, a drug dealing dog breeder from Huyton, Knowsley, was snared after sharing snaps of a fishing trip on the encrypted messaging network used by criminals.
Yesterday, Morson, of Paxton Road, was jailed for a total of eight years and seven months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis at Liverpool Crown Court.
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He was sentenced alongside Kevin Baker, of Montgomery Road, Huyton, who was jailed for four years after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply cannabis after a trial last year.
Both offenders worked together to supply multi kilos of drugs across the North West and Midlands.
Today, Merseyside Police released images of what they found when raided homes as part of their investigation into Morson and Baker.
They were arrested in April as part of Merseyside Police response to Operation Venetic - an international operation targeting criminals who used a mobile encryption service, commonly referred to as Encrochat, in an attempt to evade detection.
Morson used the Encrochat handle ‘Luckysea’ and when he was arrested officers found 20kg of cannabis resin worth around £70,000 along with £25,000 in cash, two Rolex watches, designer clothes and handbags.
Encrochat data revealed that he purchased a van adapted to transport dogs that had a secret compartment to stash drugs and distribute them across the North West and beyond.
Photographs of a fishing trip helped identify and ensnare Morson’s criminal activities.
Baker denied using the Encrochat handle ‘Sun-Viking’, but Encro data evidence put to the jury showed he was involved in the supply of 58kg of cannabis. On the day of arrest, police found £2,500 in cash at his address.
Yesterday, the judge, Recorder Jon Close, QC, said the pair were involved in "sophisticated, serious and organised drug dealing on an almost industrial scale".
Addressing Morson, Recorder Close said: "The van you used for dog breeding had been professionally adapted to create a drug storage space below the kennels."
Speaking about the case Detective Constable Paul Kerr said: "These sentencings under Operation Venetic are the latest in a long line of convictions secured thanks to the mountain of evidence our officers have been able to produce.
"Despite Baker claiming his innocence of the crime, the jury found him guilty with evidence against him so strong and we were able to identify him through family member and locations.
"We seized a substantial amount of cash and high value items from Morson when he was arrested, and Encrochat messages revealed that he regularly transported £125,000 of cash to Bolton as part of his drugs operation."
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