Operation Venetic: two jailed for involvement in drugs supply to organised crime groups
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Operation Venetic: two jailed for involvement in drugs supply to organised crime groups
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Operation Venetic: two jailed for involvement in drugs supply to organised crime groups
Two people have been jailed for their involvement in supplying drugs to organised crime groups.
Mark Ransome, 61, and Cara Leach, 42, both from Essex, were arrested in July 2020. Ransome was involved in two separate conspiracies to supply large quantities of cocaine, with Leach being party to the second. Officers from the Organised Crime Partnership – a joint National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service Unit – identified that Ransome had used an EncroChat phone to carry out his crimes. EncroChat phones were heavily encrypted devices used by criminals to communicate anonymously with each other under aliases. In 2020 an international law enforcement team infiltrated the platform and Operation Venetic was the NCA led, UK response to the takedown of the platform. Investigators were able to read millions of messages, including those of Ransome from March to May 2020 hiding behind the handle ‘beanflicka’. Believing no one would discover his identity, he worked with two OCGs to arrange the distribution of class A drugs. One gang member using the handle ‘blacknarco’ arranged to use a storage facility controlled by Ransome in Malden, Essex to unpack and distribute cocaine. Messages showed how Ransome would be paid £10,000 per month for making the space available, as well as having first access to the product. He provided access to another unit in Great Totham for which he would be paid £2,500 per use, as well as his home address. Ransome also gave details of businesses in his name which could be used as cover for the illicit activity. In total he helped the OCG in handling at least 136 kilos of cocaine with a street value of approximately £12 million. Ransome fell out with ‘blacknarco’ after Encrochat was exposed. He then started working with a second OCG whose contact used the handle ‘luxurytrain’. In addition to providing storage, Ransome moved drugs for the group himself including collecting 41 kilos of cocaine from Falmouth and Chingford. At least 45 kilos were linked to Ransome and the OCG with a street value of approximately £3.7 million.
Leach did not use an Encrochat phone, but evidence showed she had acted as a courier for Ransome on multiple occasions transporting large amounts of cocaine and cash. As the duo’s crimes required them to travel during the Covid-19 lockdown, they went to great lengths to appear as a key workers to avoid suspicion. Both wore UPS uniforms and Ransome printed fake documentation to show if he was stopped. Ransome and Leach pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs in January 2026 at Snaresbrook Crown Court. They were sentenced today [Tuesday 23 June] at the same location to a total of 18 years in prison. Andrew Tickner, Senior Investigating Officer from the OCP, said: “Ransome thought he could hide behind EncroChat to benefit from the activities of organised crime. “The conspiracies were sophisticated and involved multiple agents to create an efficient supply chain for hundreds of kilos of cocaine. “Leach was part of that chain, motivated by greed and without a care for the consequences of her actions. “The OCP is dedicated to fighting the threat posed by organised crime and we will continue to dismantle networks that damage our communities through the supply of class A drugs.”