EncroChat Busts Dismantle Cocaine Empire

Narco Kingpins Jailed for Life Over EncroChat Murder Plot and £30M Drug Empire

Two drug traffickers, James Harding, aged 34, and Jayes Kharouti, his 39-year-old associate, received life sentences for planning an assassination and directing a huge cocaine importation business valued at £30 million. They orchestrated a criminal organization that accumulated profits of £5 million in just ten weeks during 2020. Their empire crumbled following a meticulous Scotland Yard investigation that successfully breached the encrypted EncroChat platform, uncovering the full scope of their illegal operations.

Presiding from the Old Bailey, Anthony Leonard KC, the judge, gave Harding a minimum term of 32 years and Kharouti a minimum of 26 years. The judge highlighted the operation's astonishing scale, expressing it was difficult to grasp the volume of cocaine the EncroChat data revealed was being brought in over a brief two-and-a-half-month timeframe. He observed that the messages specified the importation of approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, underscoring that without the EncroChat breach, the full extent of their criminality would have remained unknown.

A Glimpse into a Lavish Criminal Lifestyle

While managing this sprawling criminal network, James Harding maintained a pretense of legitimacy, presenting himself as an executive who sold luxury timepieces. In truth, he was leading an opulent life in Dubai, a lifestyle bankrolled by the vast proceeds from his narcotics empire. His extravagant patterns of spending involved staying in top-tier accommodations and operating a fleet of high-performance sports cars, which included Bugattis and Lamborghinis. This lavish existence was a stark contrast to the violent and perilous world he commanded, which was about to be revealed to the public.

The investigation produced a vivid image of a man relishing the immense fortune his criminal deeds created, all while engineering serious violence to safeguard his illicit enterprise. His wealthy lifestyle in the United Arab Emirates offered a convenient buffer from the street-level hazards of the drug trade he managed from afar. Nevertheless, this geographical buffer would prove insufficient to protect him from the law once his encrypted messages were compromised.

The EncroChat Breakthrough

The investigation's turning point arrived when law enforcement bodies penetrated EncroChat, a bespoke encrypted communication service favoured by illicit groups. Initially advertised to celebrities worried about hacking, the service, with its expensive handsets, evolved into a crucial tool for organised crime. French and Dutch authorities broke into the platform in 2020 and shared a wealth of data with the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA). The NCA then circulated this intelligence to police forces, including the Metropolitan Police, triggering Operation Venetic, the UK's response, and the Met's own Operation Eternal, considered the most significant campaign against organised crime in the force's history.

Investigators dedicated hundreds of hours to carefully analysing thousands of messages between Harding, operating under the username "thetopsking," and Kharouti, who utilized the aliases "besttops" and "topsybricks." These communications exposed their entire operation, detailing everything from drug importation logistics to their cold-blooded scheme to eliminate a competitor. The evidence was so comprehensive it offered an unparalleled, live view into the activities of a major criminal syndicate.

A Murder-for-Hire Plot Uncovered

The intercepted EncroChat communications unveiled a malicious scheme to kill a competitor's drug courier. The idea, first floated by Harding as a "cryp robbery" to seize narcotics, grew into a full-scale assassination conspiracy. The pair talked about the hiring of an assassin to take the courier "permanently out of business," proposing an initial sum of £100,000 for the "full M," which signified an assassination.

Harding's accomplice, Kharouti, provided updates on the arrangements, and Harding gave explicit directions for the act. Harding heartlessly demanded that the killing required a "double tap" strike, with one shot to the head and another to the chest, to guarantee the target's death. The messages showed the plotters reviewing logistics, including supplying a firearm and bullets. The payment for the hit was even negotiated higher, with one user insisting it should be at least £200,000. They were unaware their chosen hitman was apprehended on June 3, 2020, which thwarted their lethal intentions.

Image Credit - Freepik

The Global Manhunt and Arrests

Armed with the EncroChat intelligence, international law enforcement agencies started to zero in on the network. Harding's opulent existence in Dubai was abruptly terminated. On December 27, 2021, he was taken into custody by Swiss authorities within Geneva Airport. His transfer to authorities in the United Kingdom happened on May 27, 2022, where officials from the Metropolitan Police apprehended him at Heathrow. Video of his arrival shows him being required to wear a protective ballistic garment before his transport in a reinforced truck. A police officer's wry "Mr Harding, welcome back," was met with a sarcastic response from the captured crime boss.

Jayes Kharouti had attempted to escape justice by leaving the country following a search of his residence in 2020. During that search, police discovered a handset with the same number he had given to Harding. He was ultimately tracked down in Turkey and sent to the UK on June 25 of the next year, where he was also arrested to face the allegations.

The Trial at the Old Bailey

The trial for Harding and Kharouti took place at the central criminal court under severe security measures, a precaution that highlighted the grave and violent character of their offences. The defendants' transportation between the prison and the court in central London necessitated a convoy of armed police. Officers in balaclavas were also positioned at key locations around the building during the proceedings. This degree of protection is usually reserved for the most dangerous offenders and signalled the threat they were believed to pose.

Over the seven-week trial, the prosecution, steered by Duncan Atkinson KC, presented the vast evidence collected from the EncroChat data. The court was told of their scheme to bring in a metric ton of narcotics across a ten-week timeframe and their callous conversations regarding the murder plot. The jury was shown a definitive picture of a sophisticated and merciless criminal syndicate headed by the two men.

Denials and Convictions

In court, James Harding tried to create distance between himself and the damning evidence. He refuted that he operated under the handle "thetopsking," insisting it was the property of an "intimate" male partner he would only name as "TK." The jury ultimately dismissed this defence. After a seven-week trial, the jury found both men culpable of conspiring to commit murder. Harding was also found guilty of conspiring to distribute Class A narcotics. Kharouti had already entered a guilty plea for the drug distribution charge.

These verdicts marked a significant success for the Metropolitan Police and the National Crime Agency. After the convictions, the presiding judge, Anthony Leonard KC, cautioned both men that they would receive very long prison terms, a promise he kept by delivering life sentences.

Image Credit - Freepik

The Wider Criminal Network

The case extended beyond Harding and Kharouti, as several other members of their organised crime syndicate also faced prosecution. Several associates, including Peter Thompson, 61, from south-west London, Khuram Ahmed, 38, from Slough, and Calvin Crump, 29, from Redhill, Surrey, had already confessed their involvement in the narcotics plot. Thompson also admitted to possessing a pistol.

In separate proceedings, Crump was given a sentence of 13 years and six months, Ahmed was imprisoned for 15 and a half years, and Thompson received 21 years and six months for the drug and firearm offences. The individual alleged to have been the intended killer in the murder plot was ultimately acquitted of all charges. The conviction of these additional players illustrates the thoroughness of the police inquiry and its success in breaking up the entire criminal network.

The Impact of Operation Venetic

The investigation targeting Harding and Kharouti was a segment of the larger Operation Venetic, the British law enforcement response to the EncroChat infiltration. This operation has been hailed as a "gold mine of intelligence," resulting in thousands of arrests and convictions nationwide. Since 2020, the Met Police have secured convictions against more than 500 criminals using EncroChat evidence, leading to sentences totalling over 5,000 years.

The investigation's leader, Detective Chief Inspector Jim Casey, stated that the convictions deliver a definitive warning that offenders cannot conceal their activities with encrypted technology. He stressed the severity of the pair's crimes, noting they not only conspired to commit murder but also inflicted substantial harm on communities with their drug trafficking. Detective Inspector Driss Hayoukane, who managed the Met's wider EncroChat initiative, reinforced these views, underlining the force's dedication to disrupting illegal drug supply and the violence connected to it.

Image Credit - Freepik

The Legacy of EncroChat

The breach of the EncroChat network in 2020 signified a massive change in the battle against organised crime. For a long time, criminals had acted with a sense of invincibility, trusting their encrypted messages were secure. The platform, which let users erase their device data remotely, was a preferred instrument for orchestrating everything from narcotics trafficking to murder. The successful breach of the network by European law enforcement gave an unprecedented glimpse into the inner workings of illicit organizations.

In the UK, intelligence passed on from European counterparts has been vital in breaking up many criminal gangs. The NCA and police forces throughout the country have confiscated huge quantities of drugs and weapons, along with large sums of illicit money. The convictions of James Harding and Jayes Kharouti are among the most notable successes of Operation Venetic, proving that even the most advanced and well-funded criminals can be held accountable.

A Stern Warning from the Bench

In his sentencing statements, Judge Anthony Leonard KC underscored the seriousness of the crimes committed by Harding and Kharouti. He observed that Harding had been released from prison only four years before he "traded up" from dealing Class B drugs to the more profitable and perilous world of Class A narcotics. The court was also informed that Kharouti's criminal history included supplying cocaine and cannabis, showing a pattern of engagement in the drug trade.

The judge's choice to issue life sentences mirrors the destructive consequences of their actions. The importation of such a massive amount of cocaine would have fed addiction and violence on UK streets, while their murder conspiracy showed a horrifying disregard for human life. The long minimum terms guarantee both men will be incarcerated for a large part of their remaining lives, a just penalty for the leaders of such a ruinous criminal empire.

The End of a Criminal Empire

The convictions of James Harding and Jayes Kharouti signal the collapse of a major criminal enterprise that thrived on misery and violence. Their story is a powerful illustration of the effectiveness of international police work and the unwavering pursuit of justice. Cracking EncroChat gave law enforcement a singular chance to attack the core of organised crime, and the successful prosecution of these two kingpins stands as proof of the investigators' commitment and expertise.

As Detective Chief Inspector Jim Casey commented, the case delivers a potent message to other criminals who think they can function outside the law's grasp. The downfall of "thetopsking" and his key associate demonstrates that regardless of the complexity of the technology or the opulence of the lifestyle, a final reckoning with the justice system is always a possibility. The destruction of their empire is a major win for law enforcement and a move toward creating safer communities.