Paul O’Brien, a 56-year-old career criminal from Hillingdon, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after a four-year investigation by the National Crime Agency. This investigation, known as Operation Venetic, targeted individuals using the encrypted communications platform EncroChat.
O’Brien was found to have collaborated with Thomas Maher, a 42-year-old accomplice who was previously sentenced to over 14 years in prison for his involvement in drug and cash trafficking across Europe. Messages exchanged on EncroChat revealed their plans to transport cocaine and 900,000 euros in cash between Ireland and the Netherlands.
Specific details of their illegal activities were uncovered, including a meeting between two vehicles in the Netherlands where drugs worth up to £1 million were exchanged. Maher informed O’Brien that the cocaine successfully entered the UK with the help of their couriers. Subsequent arrangements were made for the cash to be collected in Ireland and transported to the Netherlands.
In April and May 2020, cash pickups totaling 900,000 euros were organized by Maher for O’Brien, with couriers transporting the money between the two countries. However, their criminal activities were intercepted by Garda officers in Ireland, leading to the arrest of several individuals involved in the operation.
O’Brien was identified as the user ‘ONEDIAMONDGEE’ on EncroChat after his device was seized during his arrest in May 2020. He later pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit a crime abroad related to drug and cash trafficking. Martin Clarke, a senior investigating officer at the NCA, emphasized O’Brien’s role as an established organized crime figure who collaborated with influential traffickers like Thomas Maher.
The evidence obtained from O’Brien’s EncroChat conversations was crucial in exposing his criminal activities and ultimately led to his guilty plea. This case highlights the significant impact of technology on modern crime investigations and the importance of collaborative efforts by law enforcement agencies to dismantle criminal networks operating across international borders.
