Two men charged in Merseyside drug supply case

Two men have been charged in connection with a police investigation into the EncroChat messaging network. The suspects, Lawrence Hill, 51, and Joseph Toole, 54, face serious charges related to drug trafficking. Both men are accused of conspiring to supply class A drugs like cocaine and heroin. Toole is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cannabis. They have been taken into custody and will appear in Liverpool Magistrates' Court today, March 18. This investigation is part of Operation Venetic, a significant effort by the UK's National Crime Agency. It focuses on EncroChat, an encrypted platform that was popular among criminals. The network was disrupted by law enforcement in early 2020, leading to the retrieval of millions of messages and images. In total, over 60,000 users of EncroChat have been identified globally, with around 10,000 located in the UK. These users were involved in various criminal activities, including drug trafficking and money laundering. Authorities encourage anyone with information about drug activity in their area to reach out to the police or contact Crimestoppers anonymously. In emergencies, they remind everyone to call 999 for immediate assistance.