A Wirral man has been sentenced as part of the international operation targeting criminals using the encrochat criminal platform to carry out serious and organised crime.

Daniel Wilson, 33, of Silverbeech Road Wallasey, was sentenced today (Monday June 7) at Liverpool Crown Court to seven years and eight months imprisonment. 

He had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, and cannabis and conspiracy to convert criminal property in relation to the proceeds of his crimes.

He also plead guilty to possession with intent to supply Cocaine and cannabis that were found by Police upon his arrest in March of this year.

Wilson used the encrochat handle 'Normalair' and was supplying multi-kilo quantities of Class A and B drugs to various locations across the UK. 

He was attributed after revealing personal details about himself on encrochat and including details of his company Range Rover, which he used to conduct criminal meetings with other encro handles.

When arrested, one kilogram of cannabis was found under the passenger seat of his company car.

Wilson also sent a picture of himself sitting in his back garden to another encrochat user with the caption 'Cheers brother,' and spoke of his contacts in Spain and Holland to source his drugs. 

Chief Inspector Roger Pegram said: “Until we caught up with him, Wilson had been living a double life - holding down a respectable job, but privately carrying out serious organised crime and no doubt bringing misery to families and communities in Merseyside and beyond.

"Our message to anyone else involved in this type of criminality is clear: expect that knock at the door sooner rather than later.

"Wilson's arrest formed part of national Operation Venetic, which came about after law enforcement officials in Europe managed to crack the ‘encrochat’ service being used by criminals involved in serious and organised crime to carry out their business.

"Around 60,000 users of encrochat have now been identified worldwide, with about 10,000 of them in the UK – all involved in coordinating and planning the supply and distribution of drugs and weapons, money laundering and other criminal activity. Arrests are continuing across Merseyside as part of the operation.

“As part of Operation Venetic, Merseyside Police has so far arrested more than 120 people, many of whom have been charged with serious drug trafficking or firearms offences.

"Several of these have now received significant sentences and this year we will continue to see a number of these people appearing before the courts, and we welcome each and every one.

“Merseyside Police, along with law enforcement agencies across the world, will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of those people who think they are above the law, and we will continue to target anyone involved in serious organised crime to keep this positive momentum going.”