CLASS A DRUG IMPORTATION CONVICTIONS AFTER TRIAL

John Ojakovoh and Edward Franklin secured convictions last week at Isleworth Crown Court for conspiracies to import and supply cocaine. Encrypted messages obtained by the Police following Operation Venetic, a wider investigation into the encrypted messaging service EncroChat, evidenced an importation route into the UK that had been running for three years. In less than three weeks in 2020, cocaine with a street value of up to £132 million was imported. The defendant denied being the person who had operated under an EncroChat pseudonym as leader of the UK importation operation; but the jury convicted him unanimously of both conspiracies. He awaits sentencing, together with two co-defendants who had pleaded Guilty shortly before the trial.

John Ojakovoh and Edward Franklin were instructed to prosecute the case by Giorgina Venturella of the CPS Serious Economic Organised Crime and International Directorate. The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command.

Media: WiredGov