AN Oldham man is among the suspects who have been charged after an international operation revolving around an encrypted chat system used by gangsters.
Thirty-four arrests were made locally, as part of a wider national inquiry, after French officials hacked the notorious Encrochat platform, which drug dealers had been using to keep their movements off the police radar.
Warrants executed across Greater Manchester uncovered £1.7m in cash, 15 kilos of cocaine, two kilos each of heroin and cannabis, 70 kilos of amphetamine, 500,000 Ecstasy tablets, six firearms, which included machine guns and over 200 rounds of ammunition, and 10 encrypted mobile phones
And it has now emerged that Christopher Watson, 44, of Huddersfield Road, Diggle, has been charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.
Other suspects from across Manchester, Stockport, Salford, Leigh and East Lancashire have also been charged with drugs and firearms offences.
One Manchester man detained, 45-year-old David Walley, has been on the National Crime Agency's most wanted listed since 2014. He has been charged with possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and the importation of Class A drugs. All are expected to appear in court soon.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here