…Researched and contributed by Larry John.
Terence Earle, the “kingpin” behind an organised crime group that trafficked cocaine and heroin worth £1 million between Merseyside and Scotland, has been sentenced to 16-and-a-half years in jail.
He also ran a secret £1 million amphetamine lab, while storing chemicals used in producing the drug at a holiday park in Blackpool.
Despite admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to produce amphetamine, Earle disputed the prosecution’s claim that he had supplied 11kg of the class A drug and plotted to supply a further eight kilos.
He argued that his messages on encrypted communications platform EncroChat showed him making false promises to a contact in Scotland in order to “string him along” because the contact owed him £200,000 of amphetamine oil.
Earle Brags About His Access to Cocaine
During his trial, Earle bragged that “anyone” in his area could sell cocaine.
He compared his messages, which were revealed when the service was infiltrated by law enforcement agencies in 2020, to a book that could be interpreted in different ways by different readers.
Earle insisted that the prosecution was “barking up the wrong tree” by accusing him of being involved in the trafficking of 11kg of cocaine.
However, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC stated that Earle was “a senior figure in this conspiracy” and that he “must have had the expectation of substantial financial gain”.
Seizure of Assets
Earle and his fellow-defendants, Stanley Feerick, Stephen Singleton, and Lee Baxter, could see their assets seized during a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act, scheduled for later this year.
Commentary
The drug trade continues to cause harm to individuals and communities across the world, and this case demonstrates the need for authorities to work together to bring criminals to justice.
The sophisticated methods used by Terence Earle and his associates highlight the lengths to which drug traffickers will go to evade detection and make a profit.
It is essential that law enforcement agencies are equipped with the necessary tools to disrupt and dismantle these operations, while also preventing the supply and demand for illicit drugs.
The seizure of assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act sends a strong message to drug traffickers that their ill-gotten gains will not be tolerated.