UK: Woman who used her key worker pass to transport cocaine and heroin jailed alongside drugs boss

Previously, the technology behind these devices made it impossible for police to obtain any data or evidence, and criminals believed these encrypted devices rendered them untouchable.

Greater Manchester Police received hundreds and thousands of anonymous messages and detectives trawled through each and every one, piecing together bits of information to attribute the anonymous usernames and messages to criminals across Greater Manchester.

In this investigation, detectives identified that Faruquz Zaman was purchasing commercial volumes of cocaine and heroin from several international suppliers and selling to customers across Bolton. At his disposal, Zaman used Debra Charlton as a courier, and she would collect the money and drugs on behalf of Zaman and either deliver it or store it at her home address.

Of note, throughout COVID-19, Debra Charlton used her status as a key worker to transport the cash and drugs for Zaman without raising suspicion at a time when travel was limited.

In June 2020, when the news broke that law enforcement agencies had been able to recover data from Encrochat devices and were seeking to identify the users, both defendants swiftly disposed of their mobile devices and cars they’d been using throughout the conspiracy in an attempt to evade detection.

However, it was too late for the pair, and in August 2020, they were both arrested and questioned by detectives.

As a result of the takedown of Encrochat, Greater Manchester Police has had the unique opportunity to investigate high level serious and organised criminality and secure jail sentences for criminals who were once operating under the radar.

There was minimal information on the police computer systems about both Zaman and Charlton, but thanks to the evidence obtained from the encrypted phones, detectives had enough evidence to secure convictions and remove them from our streets.

Faruquz Zaman (01/04/1979) of Cable Street, Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to conceal, convert, disguise and transfer criminal property, and encouraging the commission of an offence abroad. He was jailed for 18 years and six months.

Debra Charlton (04/04/1988) of Robin Close, Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, and conspiracy to conceal, convert, disguise and transfer criminal property. She was jailed for eight years and six months.

Detective Inspector Rick Castley, from our Serious Organised Crime Group said: “Zaman and Charlton thought they were hiding behind an encrypted communication system that would keep their identities hidden from police, but they were wrong. They openly communicated on this platform and shared details of their daily lives in and amongst conducting criminal business, which has ultimately led to them going straight to prison. 

“The takedown of Encrochat provided us with the opportunity to remove hundreds of criminals from society, and Zaman is the latest. By maintaining a hands-off role, he sought to use naïve and trusted couriers like Debra Charlton to do his business, but she was actively complicit in Zaman’s exploitative trade.  

“Ultimately they are fully deserving of the time in jail they will now serve, and across the force, we will continue to deploy specialist resources to tackle drug criminality and make Greater Manchester a safer place to live.”