Drug kingpins face jail for cocaine smuggling and murder plot after EncroChat investigation | Crime

A pair of drug king is sentenced to prison for killing an opponent and smuggling millions of pounds after one of the largest Encochat investigations.

34 -year -old James Harding and 39 -year -old Jayes Kharoutii, a 39 -year -old “Sadık right hand, published a large criminal empire that made a profit of £ 5 million from importing more than 10 weeks in 2020.

They tried to get an anonymous courier in anonymous Bailey to get a hitman to put a hitman permanently out of work, and armed him with weapons and ammunition for “full m”.

At that time, Harding, who claimed to be a high -level hour sales manager, lived in luxury in Dubai, stayed in five -star hotels, and Bugatti and Lamborghini sports cars were driving.

Plot Scanned by Scotland Assist Officers The defendants have reached their discussions about Encrochat, the encrypted messaging service preferred by the culprit underground world.

On Tuesday, the couple was found guilty of the conspiracy for murder, and Harding was convicted of conspiring with others to import cocaine accepted by Kharouti.

Judge Anthony Leonard KC warned that the defendants faced “important” imprisonment. The former Bailey case was held in the middle of security with an armed police escort to the London Court and prison and prison. Armed police officers wearing Balaclavas were sent to the strategic points around the court, because Harding is in and out.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC said the hearing to import one ton of cocaine about Encrochat for a 10 -week period. While Harding used the name “Thetopsing”, Kharouti entered the “Besttops” and “Topsybricks” hits.

For the first time, Atkinson said Harding, who brought the idea of ​​a “Cryp Robbery” – buying drugs from a courier. The defendants discussed how and where the murder would take place, and Kharoutii offered £ 100,000 to Potential Hitman.

Kharoutii, his boss, head and chest “double tap” should be informed about the plan to say that he had to throw. The defendants were not aware of Hitman’s allegation that they were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy of murder in the early hours of June 3, 2020.

Harding, who had previously convicted drugs and false documents, was arrested on 27 December 2021 at the Geneva Airport in Switzerland. He was returned to England on May 27, 2022 and was arrested by the metropolitan police officers in Heathrow.

In a video of the arrest, an officer who says “Mr. Harding, welcome again ğı, answered by Harding:“ Oh, thank you very much. ” The images showed that Harding was made to wear a bullet -proof vest before it was applied in an armored vehicle.

Kharouti was returned from Türkiye to England on 25 June last year.

Harding, who gave evidence, refused to use the “Toping” handle and said that it belongs to a “sincere ör male partner called TK, which he refused to define.

The case formed a part of a wider operation targeting criminals using Encrochat. DCI Jim Casey, who pioneered the investigation, said, “This conviction sends a clear message: No matter how sophisticated the methods are, criminals cannot be hidden behind the encrypted software.”

Previously, 29 -year -old Redhill, Calvin Crump of Surrey, 38 -year -old Slough and Peter Thompson of London’s southwest Peter Thompson, accepted the Cocaine conspiracy accusation. A man alleged to be a recommended Hitman was cleaned.

Harding and Kharoutii were detained on Thursday.