A cocaine deal "broker" was unmasked by his criminal contacts wishing him a happy birthday and his malfunctioning Sky TV box.
Mark Edwards and his associates secretly plotted to smuggle drugs through the Mersey Tunnels during lockdown and sourced illicit substances for a dealer known only as "Mr Kipling". His activities saw him netting substantial sums of money, with one business partner alone having owed him more than £100,000 at one stage.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Thursday, that the 43-year-old used the handle "VirtualWine" as he traded on encrypted messaging service EncroChat. But Stephen McNally, prosecuting, described how his secret communications were laid bare when the platform was infiltrated by law enforcement authorities in early 2020.
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Edwards - of Princes Avenue in Eastham, Wirral - was identified as being the man behind this pseudonym after receiving a flood of happy birthday messages from fellow underworld figures on April 1 2020, this being the date he turned 40. The following day, he stated in one message "my licence was up last week" - his licence period for an eight-year prison sentence he was handed for conspiracy to supply heroin in 2012 having expired on March 16.
The dad also made reference to living with three women, namely his partner and two daughters, and sent an image of the rear of his home over EncroChat. Pictures shared of the interior also matched his address.
On April 29, Edwards told another conspirator that his girlfriend's birthday was in two weeks - then on May 15 stated it was "her birthday at the weekend", this having fallen on May 18. Meanwhile, contacts had his handle stored in their phones under the name "M Ed".
He had also informed the handle "SoupHedge", operated by his close ally Bradley Luxton, that his Sky service had not been working and that an engineer would not be able to attend and rectify the issue for another fortnight. When police made enquiries with the broadcasting giant, records showed that Edwards had reported a fault on the same day and booked a visit for two weeks' time.
In total, 23 other contacts had been stored on his Encro phone. The defendant was found to have discussed deals to supply 23kg of cocaine, 4kg of heroin and 14kg of cannabis - drugs potentially worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Edwards and Luxton - who was jailed for 16 years in 2021 after the then 34-year-old, of Birch Avenue in Upton, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, ketamine and cannabis - were both registered as directors of a company called OLE Investments. Chat logs revealed that, in early April 2020, they had discussed the transportation of a kilo shipment of cocaine to the latter and the importance of "ensuring that the Mersey Tunnel was safe to travel through" during lockdown.
Around the same time, "PrioryGroup.Com" asked Edwards the price he was paying for "tops". He replied that he had "been priced nine bit, mite chip if take a few" - indicating that he would pay £39,000 for a kilo of cocaine, but may receive discounts for bulk purchases - before the two went on to discuss those involved in the trade "panicking" amid covid restrictions.
In another conversation, Edwards told "MisterKipling" that he "mite be able to do a couple of tops tomorrow" and chatted about drug falling prices - as well as a shady transaction due to take place in the Wirral area. On April 12, he made reference to Luxton owing him a debt of £117,250 while, on May 25, he spoke about the collection of £70,000 in cash to be transported to "NoisyGun".
Julian Nutter, defending, told the court: "He does not appear to have had much of a criminal lifestyle. Following his release last time, he took employment with a company delivering motorbikes.
"He was moonlighting, taking on jobs for 50 or 60 pounds per job. He became involved in this when business declined during covid and made the mistake of returning to his familiar ways."
Mr Nutter also asserted that Edwards was not the original owner of the Encro phone and had been given the device by Luxton, apparently evidenced by its lock screen password being "Firmino" - a reference to the Liverpool FC footballer Roberto Firmino - and his client being an Everton fan. His counsel added: "He is an Evertonian and he would be unlikely to use Firmino, which demonstrates him being handed the Encro by Luxton - he is unlikely to have been above Luxton in the chain."
Edwards pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis. He shook his head as he was jailed for 16-and-a-half years.
Sentencing, Judge David Aubrey KC said: "You have admitted to trading in desperation and destitution. You were driven by greed, with a complete disregard for the wellbeing of others and the impact that your dealings have upon the fabric of the society in which we all live.
"Drugs wreck lives and cause misery, despondency and desperation. You thought you were invincible and protected by the phone in your hands, but that has proven to be your downfall.
"You used an encrypted device, believing you were safe and secure. You were not - there was to be no hiding place for your sophisticated drug dealing.
"I am satisfied that you were receiving and distributing class A drugs on a significant commercial scale. In my judgement, you were acting as a broker and facilitator between parties - an integral and important role in the chain."
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