Two drug dealers who flaunted their luxury lifestyles were jailed for nearly 20 years after French authorities cracked the encrypted Encrochat messaging service in 2020, exposing a plot to flood Scotland with drugs.
Remez Caffrey, 24, and John Chean, 33, were caught dealing class A and B drugs across the UK after chatting with dealers on the encrypted platform. Under the handle 'FrostJacket', Caffrey traded cars for drugs including cocaine and amphetamine in a large operation, while posing in luxury motors and swanky apartments.
Encrochat crackdown exposes drug ring
When French authorities cracked the Encrochat service used by gangsters, their racket was exposed. In one exchange, they admitted to another user that the account was used 'for work'. In another, they arranged to meet a man to trade a 20-plate Mercedes for 18kg of amphetamine in Moston.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard both used the handle 'FrostJacket' to buy and sell cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis throughout the UK. Prosecutor Lucy Wright said: "There were two messages between 'FrostJacket' and an account called 'MafiaTies', with the latter account asking: 'Is this yours or do you share it?'"
"FrostJacket replied: 'No, it's mine and Rem, obviously we use it for work'." Wright said 'Rem' was a reference to Caffrey.
Drug deals worth hundreds of thousands
From April 4, 2020 to March 4, 2021, the handle was used almost daily and was in contact with numerous handles over the Encrochat network. The court heard messages showed the pair could obtain 'large quantities' of drugs and move them, with both acting as purchaser, supplier and middlemen. In total, the money exchanged was £122,500.
In messages between 'FrostJacket' and other accounts, four-and-a-half kilos of cocaine worth £170,875, 261 kilos of amphetamine worth £261,000, and 44 kilos of cannabis worth £292,000 were supplied. Wright said: "On April 7 FrostJacket was discussing the sale of a Mercedes with an Encrochat handle called 'JessiePinkman', namely 18 kilos of amphetamine in exchange for a Mercedes."
"FrostJacket explained they were able to get amphetamine for £1,000 per kilo. On April 8, FrostJacket and JessiePinkman arranged the pickup of the Mercedes and the amphetamine, and 17 kilos of the drug was received by the defendants."
International connections and sentencing
Other discussions spoke of the sale of a kilogram of cocaine worth £40,000. Days later, they discussed sending 200 kilos of amphetamine to Scotland with 'JessiePinkman' - named after a Netflix Breaking Bad character - and wanted to keep one kilo for 'testing'. They also spoke with 'MightyRay' about cannabis, suggesting connections in Holland for £5,300 per kilogram.
Wright said: "On May 5 2020, FrostJacket told another handle they could get hold of 50 kilos of cannabis, and were asking for 10 kilos for £4,000 each. There was also a discussion between FrostJacket and BabyAssassin about looking for trackers and listening devices that could be used by law enforcement."
Warrants were executed at Chean's address in Liverpool, finding £2,920 in cash, a snapbag of white powder, digital scales, and a receipt for a Cartier watch. Wright said Caffrey was a 'senior partner' and played a leading role in organising, buying and selling drugs on a commercial scale.
Caffrey, of Chelston Avenue, was jailed for 11 years and three months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and conspiracy to import class B drugs. Chean, of Thirlmere Walk, Kirkby, was jailed for eight years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs. Sentencing them in March 2022, Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said: "What is of importance is that you were involved in the purchase and onward supply of drugs. It was also revealed by the messages that you had a high awareness of police detection and had the ability to avoid detection."
Detective Constable Darren Wayman of GMP's Organised Crime Coordination Unit said: "Today's sentencing is a significant result for the team after months of gruelling and intricate investigative work to help identify, arrest and convict these two high-ranking members of an OCG. Both Caffrey and Chean were responsible for the purchase and importation of huge quantities of drugs which would no doubt have been distributed across Greater Manchester before being sold within our communities."
