Merseyside men charged with drug offences after Encrochat investigation
Two suspects arrested for supplying Class A and B drugs through encrypted network
Last updated 23rd Oct 2026
Two men from Merseyside have been charged in connection with using the encrypted phone network Encrochat to supply Class A and B drugs.
Between December 2019 and June 2020, detectives uncovered two Encrochat handles—Octo Axe and Rocky-Panda—suspected of distributing cannabis, heroin, and cocaine through the secure communication platform.
On Thursday, 22nd October, Clayton Anthony Jones, 36, of the Spinney, Prescot, was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs including cocaine and heroin, as well as a Class B drug, cannabis.
Similarly, Paul Barlow, 38, of Janes Brook Road, Southport, faced charges of conspiracy to supply both Class A and Class B drugs.
Both men have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Wirral Magistrates Court today, 23rd October.
These charges are part of Merseyside Police's participation in Operation Venetic, a national effort targeting the use of Encrochat encrypted mobile devices.