An EncroChat dealer used a horse box to travel and transfer drugs during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dillon Cain, 24, of William Jessop Way, was linked to his EncroChat handle "ButterflySea" after he was stopped by police when he was the passenger in a horse box vehicle and was fined for breaching Covid-19 regulations. Messages on the EncroChat platform police were able to hack revealed "ButterflySea" had previously discussed using a horse box in order to travel around and transport drugs.
Cain was arrested in October 2022 and later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply 18kg of cocaine, 6kg of heroin, 100kg of amphetamine and 163kg of cannabis, as well as intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence between March and June 2020.
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He was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, December 14 and was jailed for 11 years and six months.
Detective Sergeant James Boardman said: “Cain’s EncroChat messages revealed his clear involvement in drug conspiracies that could have caused suffering to families and residents in our community. His messages clearly identified him as the user of the ‘butteryflysea’ EncroChat handle and we were able to link him to this device in a number of ways, including after him being caught inside a horse box vehicle during the Covid-19 restrictions.
"He had discussed using this method of transport in order to continue to sell drugs. We know the destruction that drug supply causes and Merseyside Police remains relentless in our pursuit of these criminals and to bring down serious and organised criminal groups.
“Cain, like many offenders before him, thought he was hiding behind a secure communications system. Instead, he collected damning evidence of his own drug supply and will face a long spell in prison.”
Anyone with information on drug supply is asked to contact @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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