Jail for Essex drug dealers who posed with stacks of cash to show off illegal wealth

ANGLIA 260523 EncroChat drug dealers jailed Credit: Essex Police
Karl Newell posing with his ill-gotten gains in images recovered by police from his devices. Credit: Essex Police

Drug dealers who flashed their illicit gains in photos have been jailed after police uncovered their encrypted messages.

Specialist officers in Essex Police found that Karl Newell, 27, had been selling drugs in the Southend area in an operation that was described as "prolific".

Police analysed several devices and found the line was also operating throughout the country, and discovered images of the dealers posing with drugs and stacks of cash earned through their illicit activities.

A sentencing hearing at Basildon Crown Court heard the operation involved the turnover of around 10kg of drugs.

Newell used EncroChat – an encrypted platform popular with organised criminals – to manage the illicit trade, handling large sums of money which funded a lavish lifestyle.

Police found Newell had given out personal details in the false belief the chats would be secure.

Jack Bayliss pictured with huge sums of cash. Credit: Essex Police

The chats revealed that co-defendants Jack Bayliss, 24, and Indrit Cakoni, 21, were working for Newell, with Cakoni even setting up his own drug line.

Essex Police found the operation had been going since September 2017.

Cakoni and Bayliss were arrested in August 2020. Newell, of Greater London, fled the country but was arrested in Spain in December 2020 and extradited back to the UK.

He admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was sentenced to eight years and 310 days’ imprisonment.

(L-R) Karl Newell, Jack Bayliss and Indrit Cakoni Credit: Essex Police

Bayliss, of Rochford, admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and two counts of being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

He was sentenced to six years and 237 days in jail.

Cakoni, of Surrey, admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for six years and six months.

“Those responsible believed they could hide their illicit and brazen operation behind encrypted messages" said PC Michael Brimfield.

“They were wrong.

“We have been consistently clear that drug life doesn’t pay in Essex."

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