Latest news with #criminalenterprise
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Fugitive kingpin Jamie Rothwell caught following EncroChat hack
In the spring of 2020, international law enforcement agencies hacked into an encrypted phone network trusted by criminals around the gave detectives access to private conversations between thousands of organised criminals oblivious to the fact that the supposedly uncrackable EncroChat system had been blown wide open for 74 days. Fugitive Jamie Rothwell was among the 60,000 users who put their faith in the instant messaging service to run their underworld exposed his command over a sprawling criminal enterprise and his involvement in the trafficking of high-powered weapons, including AK-47 the comfort of his high-rise apartment overlooking Barcelona, Rothwell was running a multi-million-pound drugs and guns operation."While he lapped up the Spanish sun, his associates carried out his orders and searched the streets of Warrington for those Rothwell had intended to harm," said Det Ch Insp Nick Henderson of Cheshire Police."His actions brought chaos to the local community, leaving innocent members of the public fearful." The messages revealed how Rothwell, now 38, was the catalyst behind a gangland hit where an innocent man was shot. Two days before the shooting, Rothwell and another man discussed Rothwell's wish to find out where Liam Byrne Jr and his father, Liam Byrne Sr, one message, Rothwell stated: "I'm gonna do all them soon", before discussing the use of a specific van as a getaway the evening of 24 April 2020, David Barnes, stepfather of Liam Byrne Jr, was shot in the leg on the doorstep of his home in Warrington by a gunman posing as a pizza delivery other messages, Rothwell discussed his escalating feud with gangland boss Leon Cullen, who at the time had fled to was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court in May 2021 for 22-and-a-half admitted conspiracy to supply firearms, conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to supply cocaine"I've give Leon a way out….he a grass…he turned on me for nothing," Rothwell said in messages on 5 April, just under two weeks before the shooting."Tried kill me….while my daughter there…he my only enemy….when he lands in UK that's when it starts."Other communication revealed how Rothwell advertised and arranged for the purchase and storage of automatic firearms and live ammunition – most notably an AK-47 assault rifle as well as hordes of cocaine and ketamine. Det Sgt Colin Shackleton, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "The supply of Class A drugs in this investigation were on an industrial scale, with the criminal gang making eye-watering profits."They believed they were above the law, and having access to their messages gave us real insight into their arrogant, egotistical, and apathetic nature."In the mistaken belief that EncroChat could not be infiltrated, Rothwell inadvertently sealed his own fate when he shared a photograph of himself posing in a also shared a picture of the panoramic views from his high-rise was the breakthrough that police had been waiting for as they scoured thousands of messages between criminals conducting their day-to-day affairs. Detectives now knew the identity and the location of the man behind the handle "livelong" on was already known to police, with previous convictions for robbery, possession of a weapon and drug was also wanted over a shooting in Salford in he was arrested on 24 May in Barcelona before being extradited back to the UK to face justice. In the middle of June 2020 a service-wide message went out to Encrochat users to alert them that their server had been were advised to delete their chat histories and dispose of their server, which was located in northern France, has since been shut after, nine other men were arrested as part of their involvement in the drugs and firearms went on trial over the shooting in Salford but was acquitted in the summer of 2020. He then fled to the Netherlands before being arrested in a taxi in Amsterdam in December of that year and once again extradited back to the UK. 'Ferocious attack' Rothwell had previously pleaded not guilty to the string of drug and firearms offences and had gone on trial at Manchester Crown Court in July had to be halted and the jury discharged, however, after he was stabbed in a "ferocious attack" in February 2025, Rothwell changed his plea, admitting conspiracies to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracies to supply cocaine and ketamine, and two counts of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm with was sentenced to 43 years - 18 years for the drugs offences, and 25 years for the firearms charges, to be served firearms term includes 21 years in prison with an extra four years on investigating officer Wayne Johns, from the National Crime Agency (NCA), said: "More than 2,200 criminals have been convicted under Operation Venetic, and Jamie Rothwell is one of the most dangerous."Throughout the operation, the NCA and UK police have stopped 200 threats to life, seized over £84m in criminal funds and more than eight tonnes of Class A drugs, recovered 175 firearms and more than 3,500 rounds of ammunition." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- News.com.au
Melbourne police arrest 19 people over $10m medicine, baby formula theft syndicate
Police have arrested 19 people alleged to be part of a syndicate stealing $10m worth of items from Melbourne supermarkets, ranging from medicines to baby formula products. The alleged syndicate members were mostly Indian nationals on temporary, student and bridging visas, Victoria Police said in a statement. 'We will allege this syndicate are not only stealing for themselves, but they are part of a co-ordinated criminal enterprise profiting from stolen goods,' eastern region Acting Inspector Rachele Ciavarella said. The thieves were allegedly targeting items such as baby formula, medicines, vitamins, skincare products, electric toothbrushes and toiletries. Footage of some of the arrests shows one man has been detained while carrying a backpack full of toothpaste boxes and honey. Shopping bags seized when another man was arrested contained at least five tins of baby formula. Police announced on Friday that 19 people had been arrested and more arrests were likely. In a statement, Victoria Police highlight seven men as 'main arrests'. These men are aged between 21 and 43, three of them are on student visas and one is on a bridging visa. These men face allegations of stealing items worth $37,000 to $136,000. The seven men have 'no fixed address' and are being held in custody until various court appearances in the coming weeks. Asked by NewsWire to clarify whether they men are homeless, a police spokeswoman said they were likely living in student accommodation, the details of which were not able to be shared. Investigators have also highlighted a 54-year-old woman from Springvale, who has been bailed and faces 30 charges of handling stolen goods. This woman is an alleged 'receiver', a police spokesperson said, who was selling the allegedly stolen items. 'This has been one of the most significant operations we've undertaken in recent times to target organised retail theft,' Acting Inspector Ciavarella said. 'By working with major retailers, we've been able to identify alleged offenders quickly and build a strong intelligence picture, allowing us to target the right people at the right time. 'Our message is simple: if you target our retail sector, we will target you. We will continue to work with our partners to protect businesses and hold offenders to account.' Police data shows retail theft has increased 38 per cent across Victoria in the past year. Acting Inspector Ciavarella is expected to provide further details about the allegations later on Friday.
CBS News
18-07-2025
- CBS News
Five indicted in Boulder County, theft ring accused of thousands in theft, property damage
Five people have been indicted in Boulder County in connection with a criminal enterprise responsible for over $200,000 in thefts and property damage. Authorities said members of the Tequila Sunset Enterprise broke into liquor stores and retail stores across the Front Range in order to steal bottles of liquor and merchandise. The group reportedly used stolen vehicles, mostly Jeeps, to target stores in Arvada, Brighton, Broomfield, Erie, Lafayette, Louisville, Northglenn, Superior, Westminster and other locations, then sold the stolen merchandise. County officials said the group is responsible for over $153,272 in thefts and over $54,005 in property damage. After an investigation by multiple area police departments and the district attorney's office, four people were indicted on violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, along with other charges. The suspects include Tabor Jaramillo-Trujillo, Mason Grantham, Abram Valdez and Isaiah Akridge. A fifth defendant, Emiley Webb, was indicted on charges of false information to a pawnbroker.
New York Times
11-07-2025
- New York Times
Son of El Chapo Pleads Guilty to Sweeping Drug Charges
Ovidio Guzmán López, a son of the notorious Mexican crime lord known as El Chapo, pleaded guilty on Friday to sprawling federal drug charges and using violence to help take control of his father's criminal empire. Mr. Guzmán López was the first of El Chapo's four sons to admit guilt in an American courtroom. His plea came at a vulnerable moment for the Sinaloa drug cartel, the organization his father helped to found. The group is under such pressure in Mexico from the government and its adversaries that it recently formed a strategic alliance with a rival drug gang. At a heavily guarded hearing in Federal District Court in Chicago, Mr. Guzmán López, wearing an orange jumpsuit, acknowledged having taken part in a sweeping drug conspiracy and a continuing criminal enterprise. He also admitted to playing a role in three murders in Mexico and Arizona. As part of his plea deal with the government, he has agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors, though it remains unclear what information he has provided the authorities. Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, who is overseeing his case, did not set a date for Mr. Guzmán López to be sentenced. While some of the charges he pleaded guilty to technically carry a life sentence, his lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, said he was unlikely to be punished with life in prison. The charges Mr. Guzmán López acknowledged came from two separate indictments, one filed in Chicago and the other in New York. Mr. Guzmán López's full brother, Joaquín Guzmán López, is also in custody in Chicago and is trying to negotiate his own plea deal. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
BreakingNews.ie
04-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
MV Matthew crew were 'valuable components' on behalf of crime group with 'apparently unlimited resources'
The six men caught on board the bulk carrier MV Matthew with 2.2 tonnes of cocaine and two others who attempted to take the illicit load on board a second vessel in the Irish Sea have been jailed for a combined 129 years. Passing sentence at the Special Criminal Court on Friday, Ms Justice Melanie Greally described the ship's experienced and highly expert crew as "valuable components of the engine that drives international drug smuggling". Advertisement The defendants, who hail from Iran, Ukraine, Philippines and the UK, were "committed to and invested in" the criminal enterprise on behalf of an organised crime group with "apparently unlimited resources", the judge said. Having set headline sentences ranging from 30 years to 22 years, the three-judge court reduced each sentence after considering mitigating factors. The longest sentence imposed was against Dutch national Cumali Ozgen (50), who received a 20-year sentence. Ms Justice Greally said Ozgen had the closest connection to the Dubai-based criminal organisation that planned and funded the operation and that stood to gain from its success. Advertisement Ozgen, along with Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk (32) and Vitaliy Vlasoi (33); Iranians Soheil Jelveh (52) and Saeid Hassani (39) and Filipino Harold Estoesta (31); previously pleaded guilty that between September 24th and 26th 2023, both dates inclusive, at locations outside the State, on board the vessel "MV Matthew" they possessed cocaine for sale or supply contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations. The drugs have been valued at €157 million. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa (62), with an address at Rudenka, Repina Str in Berdyansk, and Jamie Harbron (31) of South Avenue, Billingham in the UK pleaded guilty that on dates between September 21st and 25th 2023, at a location within the State, they attempted to possess cocaine for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying to another. Ms Justice Greally on Friday sentenced Ozgen to 20 years in prison; Estoesta to 18 years; Jelveh to 17.5 years; Vlasoi to 16.5 years; Hassani to 15 years; Gavryk to 14 years; Lapa to 14.5 years and Harbron to 13.5 years. Advertisement The court previously heard that while the MV Matthew was sailing under the flag of Panama, it was owned by a Dubai-based company known as 'Symphony Marine'. It departed from Curacao, off the Venezuelan coast before being loaded with 2.2 tonnes of cocaine. The court also heard that an organised crime group in Dubai instructed the crew of the MV Matthew as it attempted to evade law enforcement and deliver the drugs to an Irish vessel. Despite repeated warnings from the Irish Navy, including warning shots fired from the LE William Butler Yeats, the person overseeing the operation told the crew to keep going and head for a safe port in Sierra Leone. The original plan was that the MV Matthew would deliver the drugs to a second ship, the Castlemore, but rough seas and technical difficulties caused the Irish vessel to miss the connection and later to run aground. Advertisement As the MV Matthew tried to evade capture, members of the Irish Army Rangers were lowered by rope ladder from a helicopter onto the ship's deck. The crew had tried to set the drugs on fire but the rangers acted quickly to quench the flames and save the drugs as evidence. One of the rangers, a former member of the Navy, steered the vessel to Cork Harbour. In sentencing, Ms Justice Greally said a significant aggravating factor was that the operation was on behalf of a criminal organisation with international reach and "apparently unlimited resources to invest in transnational drug-trafficking". She said each defendant's culpability was based on the "vast quantity" and value of the drugs, the meticulous planning of the operation and the group's technical sophistication. Advertisement Cocaine is a "highly addictive drug which is causing widespread societal harm and dysfunction," she said. While none of the convicted men belong to the "upper echelons" of the criminal organisation and they did not own the drugs or stand to profit from their sale, Ms Justice Greally said they played an important role in the operation. Apart from Ozgen and Harbron, they possessed a "high level of seafaring and navigational expertise," which is vital to such operations, she said. "Seafarers are not cogs but valuable components of the engine that drives international drug smuggling," she said. Each had proven competence at sea and obtained a high level of trust in the organisation. They were "committed to and invested in the success of the venture," she said. Ms Justice Greally noted that Ozgen and the officers on board the MV Matthew had given varying accounts of when and how they came to know of the illicit nature of the ship's cargo. However, Ms Justice Greally said a failure to understand the purpose of the voyage would require a level of "wilful ignorance" that is "tantamount to knowledge". She pointed out that the MV Matthew is a large bulk carrier which left Venezuela for Gdansk in Poland with no cargo. While at sea, the ordinary seamen were plied with alcohol before armed men on board a second vessel lifted the drugs onto the MV Matthew by crane. She said there was also evidence from a group chat being used by the officers that each of them knew that the MV Matthew was using "spoofing" software to misrepresent its location as it crossed the Atlantic. Ozgen, the judge said, was the crew member most closely connected to the criminal organisation in Dubai and was to be paid a significant sum for his role. He had specific knowledge of the drugs and was on board to ensure the job was successful, the judge said. He provided progress reports to Dubai every couple of days and occupied the captain's cabin so he could supervise and monitor what the other officers were doing. "The evidence supports that he was a malign and intimidatory presence on the ship," she said. Hassani and Lapa, she said, were in debt and were motivated by the financial pressure they were under and their family circumstances. Harbron, a drug addict, was primarily looking to reduce his drug debt, the judge said. Jelveh, who was the captain of the vessel, contacted the Irish Coast Guard after two failed rendezvous with the Castlemore and asked to be airlifted away for medical reasons. He therefore left the MV Matthew before the operation's failure was certain, Judge Greally said, and had no role in later attempts by the crew to defy the orders of the Irish Navy and customs officers or to prevent the Irish Army Rangers from making their landing. Estoesta, the judge said, demonstrated a level of commitment to the criminal organisation that was "unmatched by any other officer". When presented with a choice between obeying the Irish authorities or the criminal organisation, he chose to try to evade justice and escape Irish waters, hoping to get to Sierra Leone in west Africa. When a helicopter attempted to lower the rangers to the ship by rope ladder, Vlasoi was steering the ship. Ms Justice Greally said Vlasoi manoeuvred the ship to frustrate their landing, exposing them to danger and creating a further aggravating factor. Ms Justice Greally set headline sentences for each accused, ranging from 30 years for Ozgen, the most culpable, to 22 years for Harbron who was deemed least culpable. Before finalising the sentence, Ms Justice Greally said the court took into account that each defendant pleaded guilty and that all, except Harbron, have no previous convictions. She further considered their family situations and the difficulties they will face in a foreign prison, far away from home. Within the prison system, each defendant has enhanced status for good behaviour. Ms Justice Greally backdated each sentence to when they went into custody following their arrests in September 2023. Ms Justice Greally concluded by saying that she had observed the "professionalism and competence" of the joint task force involving gardai, customs and revenue officers, the navy and the Irish army. They had succeeded in preventing the ship from escaping Irish waters and from evading justice. The skill of the army rangers, she said, was critical to the operation's success. She further commended the investigation team and lawyers for the clarity of the evidence presented in court which, she said, "without doubt led to the guilty pleas being entered". Outside court, Detective Superintendent Joe O'Reilly said this remains the largest seizure of controlled drugs in the history of the State. Ireland Woman (42) jailed for acting as get-away driver fo... Read More He added: "The sentences imposed today provide a clear message to persons involved in international drug trafficking that Ireland is not a soft target for transnational organised criminal networks. "This and other drugs interdictions over recent years clearly demonstrate that all agencies of the State, supported by our international partners, will work together to successfully disrupt and dismantle criminal networks engaged in drug trafficking, thereby reducing harm to our communities. "To those involved in drug trafficking, the message is clear: The full force of the Irish State, supported by our international partners, is against you. The reality facing you is security interdictions, special investigations, the Special Criminal Court, lengthy sentences and asset seizure. "Transnational organised crime gangs cause misery to communities not only in Ireland but throughout the world. Tackling these gangs not only makes Ireland safer but all the other countries that they operate in."
