A Merseyside criminal, James Hitchmough, 35, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after being caught stepping off a flight from Dubai. Hitchmough was identified and apprehended thanks to messages he sent on the now-defunct encrypted communication network, EncroChat.
Hitchmough, who is from Roby, played a significant role in Operation Aquarium, which was Merseyside’s contribution to an international crackdown on criminals using EncroChat to evade law enforcement. Between March and June 2020, he conspired to distribute large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and cannabis across the region.
He used aliases including BRUTALHWALE and ROLL-PLAY and communicated with over 50 EncroChat users. Hitchmough coordinated the sale of 64.5 kilograms of cocaine, 37.5 kilograms of heroin, and 33 kilograms of cannabis. Additionally, he managed illegal money transfers totaling £2.4 million.
Police tracked Hitchmough’s movements through his encoded messages. He resided in Huyton and operated a Ford van, which he used to shuttle between Oldham and Manchester. Investigators also matched his fingerprints to a photograph of his hand holding a crisps bag that was uploaded on EncroChat, providing further evidence of his identity.
Detective Sergeant Craig Doyle commented on the case: “Hitchmough played a leading role in a huge conspiracy to supply dangerous illegal drugs. He thought using EncroChat and fake names like BRUTALHWALE would keep him safe. He was so brazen he shared personal details and photos.”
DS Doyle added, “But that info gave police the evidence to lock him up for a long time. We’re committed to shutting down drug flows into Merseyside and hitting dealers where it hurts — their cash.”
He also highlighted the harm drugs cause in local communities and warned, “Crime does not pay. We’ll now go after Hitchmough’s profits with a Proceeds of Crime Act application.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
