A man who was once cleared of murder has been locked up for 12 years after he was caught importing 20kg of cocaine.
Dwaine George, 38, was using the name ‘Tenderpasta’ in the Encrochat network, an encrypted system used by criminals, to import the class A drug from Holland.
He was caught when GMP and NCA officers raided his uncle’s business at a joiner’s yard in Middleton, and intercepted a pallet.
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Stashed in boxes they found 20 kilos of cocaine.
The drugs were said to be between 70 and 73 per cent purity and were worth a street value of £1.6 million.
The raid was part of Operation Venetic which smashed the Encrochat system in June 2020 as part of a Europe-wide investigation.
After earlier pleading guilty to conspiracy to evade a prohibition on the importation of class A drugs and was today (March 14) jailed for 12 years.
It comes as George, who also used the name of Ibrahmeed Abdullah, was convicted of the murder of Daneil Dale, a teenager in Miles Platting, before being cleared after a court ruled his conviction was unsafe.
By the time he had succeeded in overturning the conviction, he had already served a life sentence which had a minimum term of 12 years.
In today's sentencing at Manchester Crown Court, prosecutor Alex Langhorn said that between April 1 2020 and April 1 2020, George, using the name ‘Tenderpasta’, and a user called ‘ Maxbro’ were discussing that the 20kg of cocaine was to be delivered to his uncle’s business premises.
“On April 7 2020, Maxbro contacted this defendant asking to arrange for a warehouse where he could get the pallet delivered to, in which the cocaine would be concealed inside,” he said.
“Maxbro said the import into the UK was going for seven years, and they had only ever lost one consignment.
“George confirmed the arrangements for the warehouse of the consignment.”
Arrangements were then being made for the delivery and payment.
It was confirmed that George would get 5kg of cocaine at a discount as a payment for housing the drugs.
He was also using another encrypted system, called Sky EEC, in which he was sending images of the location and the drugs.
The arrangements were put in place for the drugs to be imported into the UK, and calls between George and those at the joiner’s yard took place as he was keeping an eye on the consignment.
At 10.30am on April 17, the package arrived at the yard, but officers from Greater Manchester Police and the National Crime Agency intercepted and seized it.
“George was walking towards the yard when he saw the police cordon and went to escape,” Mr Langhorn said.
“He disposed of the Encrochat phone, by throwing it against a wall, in an attempt to damage it, and attempted to make good his escape whilst being chased by armed officers.
“He threw another phone, an iPhone, into a nearby river. Police told him that he should stop but he continued to run and so a taser was discharged, he was brought down, detained and arrested.”
George was found with £3,000 in cash.
Following an examination of the cocaine found, it was said to be worth a wholesale value of £760,000 and a street value of £1.6m.
His house was also searched, in which officers seized scales and empty snapbags.
Alongside the messages recovered between Maxbro and George, other Encrochat messages with a contact using the handle ‘Flyinghourse’ showed that Abdullah was trying to arrange an onward buyer for the cocaine, with the two individuals agreeing a sale price of £37,500 per kilo.
In a prepared statement, he denied any involvement, and said he ran from the police as they didn’t identify themselves.
He also said the £3k cash was not criminal money, but to be used to buy motorbike parts.
The prosecutor added that it was clear that ‘Maxbro’ relied on George in order for the conspiracy to succeed, as without a location for the drugs to go, it would have never been supplied and an alternative would have had to have been found.
George was said to have two previous convictions for six offences, none of which were related.
Mitigating, Richard Simons said George was involved over ten days, and his part was to identify a place for the pallet to be delivered.
“His task was to unload it, receive instructions in respect of the 15kg and the destination and he would receive a profit of 5kg.
“There are many cases coming before this court with far more quantities.
“The defendant is a family man, he has positively contributed to the community and he has worked as a volunteer in a community project.”
Sentencing, Judge Alan Conrad QC said: “He [Maxbro] claimed the system had been going for some years and they had only ever lost one consignment.
“He confirmed he was going to put 20 pieces (kilos) of cocaine in the consignment, five kilos and 15kg for his contact.
“You were told you would receive five kilos for helping him out.”
George, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 12 years.
A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing is set for later this year.
NCA Operations Manager Helen Murphy said: “Ibraheem Abdullah attempted to use technology to evade detection, but is now facing a lengthy prison term.
“This investigation shows that the NCA will do all within its powers to prevent criminals using EncoChat to operate with freedom. In Abdullah’s case he was attempting to profit from cocaine which fuels violence, misery and destroys the fabric of society.
“Disrupting organised criminals and their wider networks is a crucial part of preventing class A drugs from reaching streets in the UK.”
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