A taxi driver who called himself “British Trump” online has been jailed for manufacturing and supplying half a tonne of amphetamine with the help of a “sous chef”. Colin Hindmarsh, 33, from Newcastle, was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court after police infiltrated the EncroChat encrypted messaging platform used by organised crime groups.
The court heard that Hindmarsh produced 482 kilograms of amphetamine, worth up to £241,000, and planned to make a further 260 kilograms. He used the moniker “British Trump” on EncroChat, while his associate Robert Taylor, 53, went by “Angry Bob” and “Venom Bat”. Taylor, who turned up to buy a Porsche with drug money, fled to Spain before his trial and remains at large; he was sentenced in his absence.
Prosecutor Richard Holland said Hindmarsh played a leading role, cooking the drugs himself with an unidentified assistant. He boasted of sourcing chemicals from India and China and half a tonne of caffeine from an associate. Hindmarsh also dealt with wholesale customer disputes and kept “big buyers” onside. Taylor acted as a trusted lieutenant, collecting, storing and delivering ingredients and drugs, and was paid at least £1,300 a month.
The conspiracy was uncovered in 2020 when police gained access to EncroChat messages. Hindmarsh was also involved in supplying wholesale cannabis, taking advantage of increased demand during the Covid lockdown. In one message, he said: “Got people screaming for it… yes need 3kg of green”. He was jailed for conspiracy to supply amphetamine and cannabis.
