A drug dealing 'family man' with an EncroChat alter ego hid a gun under his patio. John Duffy, 41, was part of a gang which helped to import huge amounts of cocaine and heroin into the UK.
He and his fellow gang members used encrypted mobile phones to run the operation and arrange deliveries around north east Manchester. Manchester Crown Court heard Duffy was a 'highly-trusted member' of the group, responsible for delivering drugs to customers as well as obtaining and storing guns and ammunition.
Michael Brady KC, prosecuting, said Duffy used his Harpurhey home to store the drugs and weapons, which were used to 'protect and enforce' the gang's operation. Police uncovered the plot after the EncroChat network, an encrypted messaging platform used by criminals, was cracked by the National Crime Agency in 2020.
