A Teesside wholesale drug dealer who supplied 11kg of cocaine and at least 10kg of cannabis within 14 weeks has been jailed for 11 years. Michael Hagan, 34, of Liverton Avenue, Newport, Middlesbrough, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to conspiring to supply class A and class B drugs.
EncroChat messages expose drug operation
Hagan was identified after authorities infiltrated the encrypted messaging network EncroChat in 2020. Messages sent under the alias "Vocal Dove" were analysed by a Detective Constable from Cleveland Police, the court was told.
Christopher Rose KC, prosecuting, read out several decrypted messages. In one, Hagan told an associate: "I'm getting 35K off the bill" for a supply of cannabis. In another exchange, he said: "we're wholesalers - not a street dealers."
Scale of the conspiracy
Messages referenced "7kg of good quality cannabis" and "paying a courier £1,500". On March 31, Hagan said he was delivering £33,500 to someone, and later discussed taking something to Hartlepool, then Preston and London with a user named "Director Roma".
By April, Hagan mentioned being paid £30,400 from customers and discussed purchasing "a kilo of cannabis from some Albanians in Sheffield." Mr Rose stated that one kilogram of cocaine "is worth £40-50,000 wholesale" and that Hagan was in possession of 7kg at one point.
Flight and return
The conspiracy ran between March and June 2020, during lockdown restrictions. Hagan initially denied involvement, fled the country for two years, then returned in August and surrendered to police.
His barrister, James Hines KC, said Hagan "panicked" when his trial was scheduled and travelled abroad. "The authorities had no idea where he was. His return was voluntary and entirely at the behest of the defendant himself," Mr Hines said. He added that Hagan "does enjoy a level of support and loyalty" from his partner.
Leading role and sentence
Judge Peter Armstrong said Hagan had discussed "obtaining and passing on kilos of drugs, involving tens and thousands of pounds" and played a "leading role" in the organisation, "buying and selling on a commercial scale."
Hagan was sentenced to 11 years in prison and was told he will face a proceeds of crime application. His relatives watched from the public gallery as the sentence was passed.
