The men were part of a criminal gang whose illegal activities were uncovered following the cracking of the heavily encrypted mobile phone service, EncroChat.

Brothers Aaron and Gray Elcombe communicated on the secret messaging system by using handles named Tasteful Revolver, Urban Bonsai and Striking Boat. They contacted other criminals to help buy and sell at least 60 kilograms of the Class A drug.

In the spring of 2020, the EncroChat service was decoded by international law enforcement agencies and some of the decrypted messages were passed to Kent Police. An investigation by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate followed. This revealed the brothers had an almost daily routine of seeking and arranging to buy and sell large quantities of cocaine.

They used encrypted messages to facilitate the exchange of cash and drugs, and direct fellow contacts to complete deals on their behalf. Both were arrested on 29 September 2021. A third suspect, Glyn Taylor, was detained the same day. All three were later charged and entered guilty pleas at Maidstone Crown Court.

On Monday 6 November 2023, Gray Elcombe, 54, and previously of Tower View, Kings Hill was sentenced to 12 years and six months’ imprisonment. He had admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession of criminal property (namely £5,000 cash seized).

Aaron Elcombe, 46, of St Francis Close, Penenden Heath, Maidstone was jailed for 11 years and nine months, for being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Three other counts (which included the supply of amphetamine and ketamine) were ordered by the court to lie on file.

Glyn Taylor, 44, of Barnhurst Road, Maidstone was sentenced to five years. He pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and three counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Detective Constable Simon Harrold said: ‘Our investigation has clearly shown that Gray Elcombe and Aaron Elcombe occupied leading roles, in an organised criminal gang that sought to supply drugs on a wholesale scale. They committed these offences whilst on licence, having been released from prison for previous drugs supply offences, but will have felt untouchable letting others take the risks whilst using an encrypted communication platform.

‘This misplaced confidence has ultimately provided irrefutable evidence of a criminal operation which extended throughout and beyond Kent, and which at the very least was active throughout most of 2020. We will now be using the Proceeds of Crime Act to seek to recover cash and any other assets acquired, as a result of this criminal activity.’

Three other offenders linked to this investigation were previously jailed in 2021 and 2022. Sentences for these three totalled 22 years.