A Isleworth man has been jailed for 21 years for his role in supplying cocaine worth an estimated £936,000 to the streets of west London.
Sam Coleman, 33, was sentenced on Thursday at Kingston Crown Court for his role in arranging “large scale drug deals” following a Metropolitan Police investigation dubbed Operation Eternal that spanned three years.
The Met said Coleman was also involved in the conspiracy to supply more than 26 kilograms of cocaine, and his ultimate aim was to “make as much money as possible”.
In February 2021 officers raided his house and car and seized cocaine, £36,325 in cash, a knife and watches.
Images found on Coleman’s phone showed large kilogram blocks of cocaine, large amounts of cash and a large amount of cannabis.
In his search history there was also evidence of a conversation in which he planned to buy cocaine purity test kits.
Coleman was arrested at his home and charged.
Investigators used data on Encrochat, provided by European partners in 2020, to bust major players in the drug ring.
Encrochat was an ecrypted messaging service for subscribers that was shut down in June 2020.
On receiving data relating to those using Encrochat in London, the Met launched Operation Eternal to target Encrochat users believed to be operating from the capital.
They attributed the owner of the Lousybrandy handle as Sam Coleman. They began investigating his Encrochat handle in late 2020.
Coleman had obtained the drugs from another Encrochat handle, who was working as part of an organised crime network with access to large amounts of cocaine.
Lousybrandy had facilitated the supply of these drugs to others via another Encrochat handle, the Met said on Tuesday.
There had also been significant discussion by Lousybrandy in relation to the obtaining of firearms and ammunition, the force said.
Detective Constable Andy Chapman, from Op Eternal in Specialist Crime, said: “Coleman arranged large-scale drug deals with his ultimate aim being to make as much money as possible, with no thought of the misery and devastation caused in communities by drug supply, and the violence it leads to.
“He thought that Encrochat gave him anonymity and the freedom to openly arrange serious crimes, and shielded him from law enforcement. However, multiple teams across the Met have worked for several years to identify Coleman, and build what was a rock-solid case against him.
“Op Eternal investigations over the last three years have resulted in the Met identifying and jailing major players in the criminal fraternity, and stemming the flow of drugs and guns onto the streets. The drugs trade relies upon exploitation and violence to operate and we will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved, and put them before the courts.”
Following his trial, Coleman was found guilty of conspiracy to supply a Class A drugs, conspiracy to transfer criminal property, conspiracy to possess prohibited weapons, conspiracy to possess ammunition, possessing a controlled drug of Class A with intent and possessing criminal property.
