Serious Drug Cases
Serious Drug Cases
The Defendant was charged with possession with intent to supply the drug of cocaine. After making submissions about the strength of evidence against our client, the Prosecution offered no evidence against the Defendant in relation to this count on the 1st day of trial.
Represented lead Defendant in Conspiracy to Supply Class A Prosecution, investigated by SOCA in Kent, Dorset and Wales. The Confiscation proceedings were particularly complex and had the unique feature of the Crown relying on a will to make assumptions under The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
EncroChat Cases
The Defendant is one of 50 defendants on the indictment as a result of Operation Carter (deriving from the Operation Venetic hack of EncroChat). The case involves multiple conspiracies to supply class A controlled substances and is in progress.
The trial is due to take place in February 2023.
The Defendant is charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs as a result of Operation Alfreda (deriving from the Operation Venetic hack of EncroChat).
The trial is due to take place in November 2022.
EncroChat – Confiscation Matters
According to the original section 16 statement the Defendant’s purported benefit figure was £221,980.55 and his available amount was deemed to be £49,680.39.
The Defendant was also subject to an Account Freezing Order involving monies held by him personally and monies held by a Limited Company. The matter involved the Defendant having received a ‘bounce back’ loan as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic which demonstrated the complex nature of the proceedings.
According to the original section 16 statement the Defendant’s purported benefit figure was £221,980.55 and his available amount was deemed to be £49,680.39.
In December 2021, it was certified by the Court that his benefit figure from his General Criminal Conduct should be £195,000 and his available amount should only be £4,463.36 and not the £49,680.39 as first submitted by the Crown.
According to the original section 16 statement, the Defendant’s purported benefit figure was £91,622 and his available amount was deemed to be at least £22,000.
The Prosecution relied heavily on EncroChat material to secure a conviction against the Defendant.
After extensive negotiations were undertaken, it was certified by the Court that his benefit figure from his General Criminal Conduct should be limited to £40,000 and his available amount should only be £4,000.
We represented RE in respect of his confiscation proceedings following his conviction for drug offences. According to the Crown’s section 16 statement, on the 24th June 2021,the defendant was sentenced to eight years and 8 months for Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs.
The Prosecution relied heavily on EncroChat material to secure a conviction against the Defendant.
The Crown had purported that the Defendant had assets belonging to him in the sum of at least £20,756.95. The complexity of the case surrounded that an asset was purchased with the monies used from a ‘bounce back’ loan. We were able to demonstrate that the Defendant’s available amount for the purposes of his Confiscation Order should be only £1,363. This was a reduction in the alleged available amount of 90%.