Cocaine-dealing Moogan brothers jailed after Encrochat network smashed

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that Peter Moogan, 39, and Michael Moogan, 33, were leading figures in a large-scale drugs conspiracy.

They were using a so-called “Encrochat” phone with the handle “paleflame” to both buy and sell large quantities of drugs.

As previously reported by the Star, organised crime gangs have been using these phones for some time and believed they couldn’t be hacked into by the police.

But in June 2020, international police forces managed to access the stored messages from the Encrochat platform.

A host of prosecutions have followed throughout Europe, including Britain.

Encrochat users don’t use their real names, but false names, known as “handles”. The police have managed to establish the true identity of the users by analysing their individual messages and personal information.

The police traced the "Paleflame" Encrochat phone to the Moogan brothers, both who were living at addresses in Huyton, because they had shared their postcodes and identifiable photographs of family members, vehicles and property.

The CPS say that unusually, in this case, the brothers were using the same phone to deal in drugs.

Police tracked their messages between February and June 2020.

They predominantly dealt in cocaine and bought and sold thousands of pounds of the Class A drug.

They had a "well-established network" of criminal associates which they used to both buy and supply drugs.

They were arrested on July 8 2021, made no comment in questioning but eventually pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis on October 2021 11 at Liverpool Crown Court.

They were each sentenced today to 11 years and three months in prison.

After the brothers were arrested, the police conducted a number of searches.

They found £26,710 in cash in a pillow at Michael Moogan’s home in Huyton.

A further £61,270 in cash was found in an industrial unit on Wilson Business Park in Huyton.

District Crown Prosecutor Jonathan  Egan, of CPS Mersey Cheshire, said: “Both Peter and Michael Moogan were buying and selling cocaine on a commercial scale for significant financial advantage.

“During the span of this investigation – three months – they dealt in around 8 kilos of cocaine, that would be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Peter Moogan

“The evidence showed that they were using the same Encrochat phone to operate the conspiracy and both had a lead role.

“Organised criminals think they can cheat the authorities and get away with their dangerous and destructive trade. Encrochat phones were the latest weapon in their armoury until the police cracked the platform.

“Many complex prosecutions have resulted from that and the police and the Crown Prosecution Service are making substantial progress in closing off another element of this evil trade.”

Michael Moogan

What police have said

Detective Inspector Chris Lowe said: “This is yet another great result for Operation Venetic and our work to find those responsible for drug supply across Merseyside continues. 

“No criminal should profit from the misery drugs bring while our wider law-abiding communities work hard to earn an honest living. I hope that Moogan and Moogan will reflect on the harm that they have caused while serving their jail time. 

“Merseyside Police, along with law enforcement agencies across the world, will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of those people who think they are above the law, and we will continue to target anyone involved in serious organised crime to keep this positive momentum going.

“We rely on our local communities to be our eyes and ears as part of these investigations and I would continue to urge people to come forward if they have information which could assist us.”

If you have information about drug dealing in your area, DM @MerPolCC or ring 101 or @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111.