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How ham sandwich helped police take down major UK drugs gang

An investigation established that Wylie and Whiteside were the owners of Encrochat handles Somesnail and Peppershirt

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A humble ham sandwich has helped police to take down a major drugs gang based in Blackpool, Lancashire.

A photo of the bread sandwich and tasty ham filling as well as a can of Stella Artois lager led police to the home of one of the dealers, it has been reported.

Richard Wylie and Richard Whiteside were tracked down after photos were posted on EncroChat, the encrypted global communication service that was used exclusively by criminals.

EncroChat was one of the largest providers of encrypted communications and offered a secure mobile phone instant messaging service, but an international law enforcement team cracked the company’s encryption.

The Encrochat servers were taken down in 2020 following an investigation led by the National Crime Agency and Lancashire Constabulary, along with the rest of UK law enforcement, and continues to target those involved.

A Lancashire Constabulary’s Serious and Organised Crime Team investigation established that Wylie and Whiteside were the owners of Encrochat handles Somesnail and Peppershirt.

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When police searched Whiteside’s home on Mickeldon Road, Blackpool, they found a quantity of cash in a drawer. The 55-year-old was jailed for four years after admitting conspiracy to transfer and conceal criminal property and possessing criminal property.

Wylie (36) formerly from The Stables, Thornton, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A cocaine, conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A cocaine, conspiracy to transfer and conceal criminal property and being concerned in supplying a controlled drug of Class A to others.

Meanwhile, police are still seeking two other men as part of the investigation, Daniel Hindley (40) and Jamie Finney (37) who are believed to be abroad.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about them to get in touch.

Detective Chief Inspector James Edmonds said: “Like many other users of EncroChat, the criminals operating in Lancashire will have mistakenly thought that they could traffic drugs with impunity, under the radar of the police – our successes as part of Op Venetic show how wrong they are.”

DCI Edmonds added: “We continue to work both with the NCA and other forces across the region and the UK to take the fight to criminals and ensure there are no safe spaces in Lancashire for serious and organised criminals, including those who seek to profit from a class A drugs trade which fuels violence and exploitation in our communities.

“This sort of activity is just one aspect of our continued fight to tackle serious and organised crime.

“I hope this sends a clear message to the public of our determination to rid communities of this sort of criminalisation and to make our streets safer.”