Two high-level drug traffickers have been sentenced to life imprisonment after Metropolitan Police investigators exposed their roles in a vast cocaine importation network and a sinister murder plot, all unravelled through the encrypted messaging service, EncroChat.
James Harding, 34, of Alton, Hampshire, and Jayes Kharouti, 39, of Depot Road, Epsom, were described by police as central figures in a “sophisticated and dangerous criminal operation” that moved a tonne of Class A drugs across the UK and plotted to assassinate a rival gang member.
The pair were convicted following a landmark investigation—one of the Met’s largest ever linked to EncroChat—an encrypted platform once believed to be untouchable by law enforcement.
The Alarmee reports that belief was shattered in 2020 when European authorities cracked the system and passed intelligence to UK agencies, triggering a wave of arrests and prosecutions.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Casey, who led the investigation, said the case sends a “clear message” to those who think encrypted platforms offer immunity.
“Not only did they have a detailed plan to kill, their conspiracy to import and deal drugs harmed a number of our communities in London and across the country,” said Casey.
“This sentencing shows the severity of the crimes the duo committed… we will investigate and we will put you before the courts.”
Harding, known by the EncroChat alias “thetopsking”, was identified as the kingpin behind the operation. At the height of the conspiracy, between April and June 2020, he ran the empire from Dubai, raking in an estimated £5 million profit in just 10 weeks while orchestrating over 50 separate cocaine importations into the UK—totaling around one metric tonne.
Kharouti, whose handle was “besttops”, acted as Harding’s trusted lieutenant. In 2020, police searched his home and recovered a device that linked him to Harding. Though he initially fled the UK, he was later tracked down in Turkey and extradited back to face trial.
Their encrypted exchanges contained chilling discussions detailing plans to assassinate a suspected drug courier from a rival network.
The plot included hiring contract killers, sourcing firearms, arranging getaway vehicles, and scheduling dates and locations for the hit.
Despite the complexity of the operation, years of painstaking digital forensics and intelligence work led to their downfall. Investigators sifted through thousands of messages, uncovering evidence of both violent criminal intent and logistical planning for mass drug distribution.
On Tuesday, June 24, Harding was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to commit murder following a seven-week trial at The Old Bailey. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday, June 26, with a minimum term of 32 years.
Kharouti, who had earlier admitted his role in drug trafficking, was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder on June 24. He received a life sentence with a minimum of 26 years.
Harding was initially arrested at Geneva Airport in Switzerland on December 27, 2021, before being extradited to the UK in May 2022. Kharouti was apprehended abroad after fleeing post-investigation and similarly returned to face justice.
Their sentencing forms part of the UK’s wider crackdown on EncroChat-enabled crime. According to the Metropolitan Police, investigations stemming from the platform have so far resulted in over 5,000 years of prison sentences for criminals who believed they could operate in the shadows.
Police officials say this latest case underscores how deeply embedded technology has become in organised crime—and how critical international cooperation and cyber-intelligence have become in dismantling it.
