A jury has convicted a joiner of running a major drugs operation from his home in Dundee after he was caught in an encrypted criminal network crackdown.
Aaron Bradford is facing a lengthy prison term after being found guilty of being involved in serious organised crime.
The 35-year-old, who has previous convictions for drugs offences, was snared as part of a Europe-wide crackdown on EncroChat – a secretive network used by criminals to trade drugs and weapons across the continent.
Police did not find drugs or cash when they raided Bradford’s home on Strachan Avenue but found suspicious items including a hydraulic press and blenders which contained traces of cocaine.
Bradford tried to incriminate another man – 40-year-old Perth plumber David Kean – during his trial at the High Court in Dundee but jurors found Bradford guilty by a majority verdict.
Judge Andrew Miller said: “You have been convicted of the very serious offences of involvement in serious organised crime relating to the supply of controlled drugs and secondly, being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug cocaine.
“From the evidence before the court, you were involved in the supply, particularly of cocaine, at a significant level.
“These are both very serious offences particularly bearing in mind the damage which the supply of controlled drugs causes to numerous families and communities across Scotland.”
Police raid
Bradford’s home was targeted in June 2020 as part of Operation Venetic, which was launched after EncroChat had been penetrated by the police.
The court heard police believe a user dubbed “El Pazo” was linked to a phone used by Bradford.
The same phone had been used by Bradford to call for taxis and was registered with a vet practice in Dundee.
A samurai sword and notebooks featuring writing consistent with “tick lists” were discovered at his property.
Also found was packaging and the appearance of red gel used to line cocaine in a bin in the garage.
The same red gel had been referenced in previous EncroChat communications.
Prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel had previously referenced EncroChat messages where the El Pazo profile discussed how they “lost” their van after “chasing a c***”.
This came soon after a van was discovered in a ditch in Dundee with the registered keeper found to be Bradford.
Mr Kean denied being a drugs runner or courier for Bradford.
He claimed to have been staying at the property since January 2020 before taking off in mysterious circumstances around the time of the raid.
A Land Rover Discovery, found in the driveway, had been registered to Mr Kean but he did not leave with the vehicle.
Bail revoked
Bradford, of Strachan Avenue, was found guilty of being involved in serious organised crime at his home address between March 31 and June 15 2020 by agreeing with unknown people to use encrypted devices to communicate about obtaining and supplying drugs.
He concerned himself in the purchase and onward supply of cocaine, heroin, amphetamine, ecstasy, diazepam and cannabis and arranged for the collection and proceeds of the drugs.
Bradford was convicted of a second charge of being concerned in the supply of cocaine during the same period, aggravated by its links to serious organised crime.
The Crown dropped an allegation as part of the serious organised crime charge that Bradford instructed a person to carry out surveillance services on his home.
He was also acquitted of possessing cannabis.
Judge Miller revoked Bradford’s bail order and remanded him in custody until next month for reports to be prepared.
Bradford will be sentenced at the High Court in Aberdeen.
Operation Venetic
In July 2020, the National Crime Agency (NCA) announced Operation Venetic had brought down “entire organised crime groups… with 746 arrests, and £54m criminal cash, 77 firearms and over two tonnes of drugs seized so far.”
It said encrypted instant messaging service EncroChat’s “sole use was for coordinating and planning the distribution of illicit commodities, money laundering and plotting to kill rival criminals.”
It had 60,000 users worldwide and around 10,000 users in the UK, whose EnroChat-specific burner phones could be monitored after the encryption was broken.
The authorities were, themselves, rumbled in June 2020.
The NCA said: “EncroChat realised the platform had been penetrated and sent a message to its users urging them to throw away their handsets.
“The phones – which have pre-loaded apps for instant messaging, the ability to make VOIP calls and a kill code which wipes them remotely – have no other conventional smart phone functionality and cost around £1,500 for a six-month contract.”
The company, which operated from outside the UK, has since closed.
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