A Worcester Park man has been charged with conspiracy to import Class A drus after police raided a Swanley address linked to the notorious EncroChat network.
Officers clad in heavy riot gear were filmed storming the residential property after breaking through the driveway gates in a specialised police vehicle.
Nicholas Lynn, 32, of Inverness Road, Worcester Park, Sutton, was charged on February 19 with one count of conspiracy to import a Class A drugs.
He was remanded to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on the same day.
Encrochat is an encrypted, military-grade communications network used by 60,000 people worldwide, largely for criminal purposes, which proved to be impenetrable until July last year.
Police in France and the Netherlands managed to access and infiltrate the network, sparking a massive joint operation involving the National Crime Agency, Europol, every police force in the UK and those across Europe.
The Met Police said the breakthrough had allowed them to identify and target previously “untouchable” kingpins, London’s longest-standing and most dangerous criminals, often leading flashy lifestyles “beyond the MPS’ reach”.
London officers used the data to disrupt murder plots, seize £13.4m in cash and arrest 146 people, part of the nearly 800 arrested across Europe.
More than 30 people arrested came from south east London.
– Read more: Latest list of criminals jailed in South East London after Encrochat bust
