Two men from Ipswich and one from Melton who were convicted of being involved in a conspiracy to supply drugs have been given jail sentences totalling more than 30 years.
Sentencing Roan Omoworare, Dale Ramsey and Marley Bagley, Recorder David Wilson said Omoworare had played a leading role in the conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and had been "ably assisted" by his two co-defendants.
He said that during the conspiracy Omoworare, who had maintained an image of a "legitimate and successful businessman" and Bagley had used EncroChat phones which were used by people involved in criminal activities.
He said they had got rid of the encrypted devices after the network was infiltrated by police.
Omoworare, 30, of Bloomfield Street, Ipswich, Ramsey, 32, of Felixstowe Road, Ipswich and Marley Bagley, 27 of Beadon Way, Melton, had all denied conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis between July 2019 and September 2020 but were convicted by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court this week after a trial lasting several weeks.
Omoworare was jailed for 15 years, Bagley for ten years and Ramsey for seven and a half years less time they have spent on remand or on a curfew.
A confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act will take place in January.
Houzla Rawat, for Omoworare, said police officers had searched his business premises and there was no suggestion that anything was found to indicate drugs were stored or prepared there.
She said he had spent a considerable time in custody during the Coronavirus pandemic and following his release he had not breached his bail conditions.
Paul Williams, for Bagley, said his client, who has no previous convictions, was only 24 when he was arrested and he had spent time in custody during the pandemic.
He asked the court to accept Bagley wasn’t aware of the scale of the drug operation.
Harry Bentley, for Ramsey, said his client’s role was that of a “gofer” acting under instruction from others.
He said Ramsey had been living in a room at his aunt’s house at the time of the offence and there was no evidence of him owning luxury goods, designer clothes or having expensive holidays.
DC Chris Townrow said: “Criminals using Encrochat saw encrypted mobile devices being used to hide behind codenames to co-ordinate and plan the supply and distribution of drugs, money laundering and other criminal activity.
"Thousands of users are known to have used this technology worldwide, including here in the UK.
“All three defendants were involved in this case were involved in the large-scale supply and distribution of cocaine and cannabis with Omoworare linked to a number of organised criminals.
"This included an organised crime group from the Nottingham area where he was involved in supplying 1 kilogram of cocaine to members of this Nottingham OCG.
“This was a highly complex investigation and the high quality work conducted demonstrates our on-going determination to rid Suffolk of such drug dealing and associated criminality.”
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