Category: National Crime Agency

French Court Ruling Could Have Implications for UK EncroChat Convictions

A French court ruling earlier this week has been lauded as a “milestone victory” by campaigners and could have devastating consequences for hundreds of convictions which the National Crime Agency (NCA) has obtained in Britain. The Criminal Division of the Court of Cassation on Tuesday quashed the judgment of the Nancy Court of Appeal in…


Anglo-Spanish Police Operation Smashes Albanian People Trafficking Gang

A joint operation between Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Guardia Civil in Spain has led to the arrest of seven men from an Albanian organised crime group who were allegedly involved in smuggling illegal immigrants into the UK on board freight lorries. The NCA said the gang brought in around 50 illegal immigrants—mainly…


EXCLUSIVE: One of UK’s Most Wanted Criminals Is Released by Supreme Court in Portugal

One of Britain most wanted men, who is suspected of distributing large amounts of Class A drugs in the southwest of England, has been allowed to walk free by the authorities in Portugal, despite an extradition request by Britain. Alex Male, 30 ,was arrested at Lisbon Airport on April 30 on suspicion of using a…


Albanian Suspected of English Channel People Smuggling Arrested in London Dawn Raid

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has arrested a 30-year-old Albanian in London who is suspected of trafficking people across the English Channel from France in small, inflatable boats. The man, who has not been identified, was arrested in the suburb of Surbiton in southwest London during a dawn raid on Friday morning. It comes days…


Officer Denies NCA ‘Suppressed’ Evidence About EncroChat Phone Investigation

A National Crime Agency (NCA) officer has denied key facts were deliberately “suppressed” about what discussions took place with French law enforcement in the run-up to the hacking of EncroChat—an encrypted phone network allegedly used by thousands of criminals across Europe—in March 2020. On Friday, Wayne Johns was cross examined by Stephen Kamlish, KC at…


40 Arrested in Huge People-Trafficking Raids in UK and 3 European Countries

Forty people have been arrested in coordinated raids across Britain and three European countries, and law enforcement agencies claim they have smashed a huge gang which was trafficking illegal immigrants across the English Channel in tiny boats. Almost 13,000 people have crossed the Channel from France in dinghies and RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) since the…


As UK Criminals Jailed ‘Mist of Secrecy’ Remains About French EncroChat Data Hack

LONDON—Two British men have been jailed for conspiracy to murder and a number of other crimes after a prosecution that was made possible only when French police hacked into the EncroChat network. Paul Fontaine, 36, from Hackney, east London, and Frankie Sinclair, 34, from Cardiff, Wales, were jailed for life, with a minimum term of…


UK National Crime Agency Arrest 4 Over Illegal Immigrant Cannabis Farm

Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has arrested four men and is searching for a fifth after raiding cannabis farms in north Wales and the north of England which had been run by illegal immigrants from Albania. During this week’s operation NCA officers seized crack cocaine and cannabis, cash, and two rigid inflatable boats (RIBS) which…


One of the UK’s Most Wanted Men Arrested Trying to Enter Portugal With Fake Passport

A British fugitive wanted for alleged drugs and firearms offences has been arrested at Lisbon Airport when trying to enter Portugal with a fraudulent passport. The National Crime Agency (NCA) described Alex Male, 29, as “one of the UK’s most wanted men.” He was detained at Lisbon Airport on April 30, having just arrived on…


Hundreds Arrested for Child Sexual Abuse Material in Global Operation

A two-year international operation led by New Zealand that identified over 90,000 online accounts that possessed or traded child sexual abuse material was finalised on March 2, arresting hundreds of offenders and rescuing children from harm. Across the duration of the operation, authorities arrested 450 offenders in the United Kingdom, 117 in Australia, 46 in…