These are some of the most unusual EncroChat handles utilised by users from Merseyside
From left; Kyle Muldoon, Ian Fitzgibbon and Phillip Lam(Image: Merseyside Police)
Since police infiltrated EncroChat in 2020, scores of its users have been locked up after their secret plots to traffic drugs and guns utilising the encrypted communications platform were uncovered. Many have been handed huge sentences after being incriminated by their own messages to other criminals, which they wrongly believed would never see the light of day.
Hundreds of years in jail time has been handed down in Merseyside alone. Account holders were required to take on a pseudonym known as a handle as part of the service, and these are some of the most unusual nicknames which were used by criminals from our region as revealed in court hearings during 2024.
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Anthony Ross aka Easy Jaguar
Anthony Ross, 35, of Ruislip Close, Woolton(Image: Merseyside police)
A drug dealer who used encrypted phone network EncroChat to flog large amounts of class A and B drugs was caught after sending selfies from inside his cannabis farm. Anthony Ross used the handles “EasyJaguar” and “DiorNote” on the platform.
The 35-year-old’s messages also revealed that he had attempted to purchase “a naughty piece” – a high-powered M15 assault rifle and 50 rounds of ammunition – for £13,000. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, three counts of conspiracy to supply class B drugs and attempting to purchase or acquire a prohibited weapon and was jailed for 15 years.
Joseph Morley aka Indelible Osprey
Joseph Morley(Image: Merseyside Police)
Police swooped upon “IndelibleOsprey” in his Audi during a sting operation at Switch Island. Joseph Morley directed the trafficking of wholesale quantities of cocaine and cannabis across the UK remotely while living abroad in Spain.
It was the latest entry in the grandad’s extensive criminal record, which also includes a 15-year sentence for importing drugs and an offence of “attempted murder” on the continent. He admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and was jailed for 12 years.
Joseph Drake aka Unreal Penguin and Joseph Cropper aka Moody Camel
Joseph Drake(Image: Merseyside Police)
Drug traffickers operated under the handles Moody Camel and Unreal Penguin as they ran a cocaine business “on the most serious and commercial scale”. Joseph Drake, Joseph Cropper, Ronan Hanlon and Jordan Smith were part of a Merseyside-based gang with a “nationwide reach”, shipping hundreds of kilograms of illicit substances potentially worth an estimated £8.4million across the country.
Joseph Cropper(Image: Merseyside Police)
Each defendant was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine by a jury. Drake was jailed for 26 years, while Cropper received 19 years.
Jordan Smith(Image: Merseyside Police)
Smith, who also admitted conspiracy to convey prohibited articles into a prison in relation to drugs and other contraband which was thrown into HMP Berwyn in North Wales, was locked up for 16 years. Hanlon was imprisoned for 15-and-a-half years.
Ronan Hanlon(Image: Merseyside Police)
All four men were seen to wave towards the public gallery, where family members sat in tears, as they were led down to the cells. Hanlon meanwhile blew a kiss to his loved ones.
Lee McKune aka Zone Pizza
Lee McKune(Image: MERSEYSIDE POLICE)
Lee McKune was linked to the handle “ZonePizza” after discussing his father-in-law’s hospital stay, his niece’s upcoming birthday and wanting to avoid the coronavirus because he “had no spleen”. He was jailed for 12 years and three months for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.
Phillip Lam aka Weary Dog
Phillip Lam(Image: Merseyside Police)
A drug importer known as “Weary Dog” kept cannabis stashed in his nan’s house. Phillip Lam plotted to smuggle hundreds of kilos of illicit substances into the UK with weekly shipments from Spain.
He also stood to make profits in the region of £10,000 per week as the head of a “criminal business” which trafficked wholesale quantities of heroin and cocaine. Lam admitted conspiracy to evade the prohibition of the importation of cannabis, conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis and conspiracy to produce cannabis and was jailed for 16 years and eight months.
Daniel Shepherd aka Vain Crane
Daniel Shepherd(Image: NWROCU)
A drug trafficker who hid behind the EncroChat handle “Vain Crane” told a judge “I’m so sorry for what I’ve done” as he was locked up for more than a decade. Daniel Shepherd utilised the encrypted communications platform to trade wholesale quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis and was involved in the handling of nearly half a million pounds in dirty cash.
His device was then passed on to his younger brother following his arrest. He admitted conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis and was jailed for 11-and-a-half years.
Karlos Escoffery aka Mucky Mouth
Karlos Escoffery(Image: Merseyside Police)
Tens of thousands of pounds in cash and luxury Rolex and Oris watches were seized as members of a drug trafficking “trade society” were arrested boarding a flight to Ibiza. Karlos Escoffery, David Bradley and Dylan Adams were detained at an airport after being identified as the users of the EncroChat handles “Mucky Mouth”, “Frosty Finger”, “Wireless Dove” and “BusyMint”.
Dylan Adams(Image: Merseyside Police)
Adams admitted conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis. He was locked up for 12 years.
Bradley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine cannabis and amphetamine and money laundering. He was handed 14 years and eight months.
David Bradley(Image: Merseyside Police)
Escoffery admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and money laundering. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was jailed for 13 years and four months.
Stephen Warner aka Zone Lizard
Stephen Warner(Image: Merseyside Police)
A drug trafficker known as “ZoneLizard” had a “lemo phone” which netted him thousands of pounds for week before he fled to Spain. Stephen Warner paid for his rivals’ cars to be torched in “revenge attacks” after spotting them dealing on his turf.
He also “brokered” kilogram deals of cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis over EncroChat and used the encrypted communications platform to recruit arsonists who were paid as little as £350. Warner admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis and conspiracy to commit arson and was jailed for 15 years.
Ian Fitzgibbon aka Vimto Hawk
Ian Fitzgibbon(Image: Merseyside Police)
Ian Fitzgibbon was jailed after being unmasked as the EncroChat user “Vimto Hawk”. The 29-year-old utilised the encrypted communications platform to trade heroin and cocaine with associates including Niall Barry and Sean Zeisz – the organisers of the fatal shooting.
He threw his phone out of the window of his flat when the police came knocking at his door before telling detectives under interview that he was a “billy big b****cks”. The city’s top judge warned him that he could face “a miserable future of serving longer and longer terms of imprisonment” if he did not begin “leading a more honest life”.
Fitzgibbon admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and possession of criminal property. He showed no reaction as he was jailed for 14-and-a-half years.
Kyle Chase aka Three Fat Ladies
Kyle Chase, also known as Kyle Muldoon(Image: Merseyside Police)
An EncroChat drug trafficker known as “Three Fat Ladies” boasted contacts in Dubai with an ability to import ketamine from India. Kyle Chase, also known as Kyle Muldoon, gained revenue streams totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds as he dealt in multi-kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine.
The DJ admitted conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine, ketamine and cannabis. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for 12 years and eight months as his supporters sat in tears in the public gallery.
Terence Culshaw
Terence Culshaw(Image: National Crime Agency)
A football and boxing coach’s secret identity was revealed after he was arrested in Europe. Terence Culshaw secretly trafficked wholesale quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis using the handle “TopGolfer” on EncroChat.
He admitted three counts of conspiracy to supply heroin, conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for 15 years and two months.
Kieran Hannon aka Alex Iwobi
Kieran Hannon(Image: Merseyside Police)
A dad hid behind a pseudonym inspired by a former Everton FC star as he smuggled huge quantities of drugs into the UK. Kieran Hannon called on contacts in Spain and the Netherlands as he arranged the importation of more than 100kg of cannabis.
The “well respected” community volunteer also acted as a “broker” in the trafficking of cocaine while using the handle “Alex Iwobi” on encrypted communications platform EncroChat. But his secret dealings were ultimately exposed thanks to his love of pigeon racing.
Hannon admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine, cannabis and cannabis resin and conspiracy to import cannabis. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for eight years and eight months.