Luton trio jailed for selling EncroChat devices to organised crime groups

Three Luton men have been convicted for supplying encrypted EncroChat devices to organised crime groups — a UK first, Bedfordshire Police say.

Bedfordshire Police secure first UK convictions for supplying EncroChat devices

Bedfordshire Police has become the first force in the country to convict individuals for selling encrypted devices used to supply drugs and firearms, BBC News reports.

Three men from Luton were sentenced at Luton Crown Court after officers established they had equipped organised crime groups (OCGs) across the UK with the EncroChat encrypted messaging system.

Jason Russo, 33, received a five-year custodial sentence. Jamil Ahmed, 26, and Mohammed Miah, 32, were each given 18-month community orders.

EncroChat was widely used by criminals to smuggle drugs and guns into and around the UK before law enforcement agencies took the network down in 2020. The system was concealed within handsets, appearing only after users triggered a specific reboot sequence.

The three men had operated "behind the guise of an established telecommunications business", Bedfordshire Police said. Officers from the force's organised crime team, Operation Costello, established that the trio had conspired to supply encrypted devices to OCGs involved in drug and firearms trafficking.

Detective Inspector Simon Mullan described the outcome as a turning point for law enforcement. "This is a landmark case which has seen us become the first force nationally to convict people in accordance with legislation [against those] that enable drug offences," he said. "This has set a real precedent and our fight against professional enablers is only just getting started."

Correction, 30 April: An earlier version of this article stated that Russo, Ahmed and Miah were also sentenced for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Those charges were allowed to lie on file.

Source: BBC News