Specialist officers studying messages garnered from the infiltration of EncroChat in April 2020 – an encrypted instant messaging service primarily used by organised crime members – identified Simon Renoldi, Iain Green and Matthew Hutchinson.
The messages showed Renoldi was involved in supplying kilos of cocaine with several different people including Green, of Ronald Park Drive, Westcliff, and Hutchinson.
Renoldi and Green were also involved in the supply of MDMA and discussed supplying cannabis.
Jailed – Simon Renoldi (Image: Essex Police)
Police discovered messages indicating Hutchinson was involved in shipping cocaine and ketamine to New Zealand and Australia and, at one point, he and Renoldi discussed joining up to supply more cocaine to Australia.
All three openly discussed moving large sums of money around to pay for the drugs.
This information led to surveillance being carried out which captured 53-year-old Renoldi and 54-year-old Green meeting to exchange more than £140,000 in cash.
Further messages discussing the sale of drugs led to a raid at an address in Basildon where £705,000 in cash and five kilograms of cocaine were seized, as well as an Encrochat device.
During the search, a notebook with handwritten notes and a piece of paper with notes on were recovered. These included postcodes and figures next to them, and some of the postcodes were for the Railway Tavern in Stanford-le-Hope, which Renoldi had control of.
Carrier bags containing cash were forensically examined and a fingerprint belonging to Renoldi was identified on one bag which contained more than £100,000.
Seized – A bag with cash with Renoldi’s fingerprints found (Image: Essex Police)
Renoldi, of High Road, Fobbing, was arrested at his home during a raid in June of the same year, where more than £5,000 in cash was found. A search of the Railway Tavern located a further £68,950 in cash.
Fifty-five-year-old Hutchinson, of Talbrook, Brentwood was arrested at his home the following day, while Green was arrested the following month.
Renoldi was later charged with two counts conspiracy to commit cocaine, conspiracy to supply ecstasy and two counts of conspiracy to supply a Class B drug.
Hutchinson was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to supply a Class B drug – ketamine.
Involved – Iain Green (Image: Essex Police)
Green was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply ecstasy, and conspiracy to supply a Class B drug – cannabis.
All three denied the charges against them but, following a trial at Basildon Crown Court, they were found guilty on November 5 last year. They appeared for sentence at the same court on Friday.
Renoldi was jailed for 21 years, while Hutchinson and Green were sentenced to 13 years and 17 years in prison respectively.
Lengthy probe – Matthew Hutchinson (Image: Essex Police)
Detective Inspector Yoni Adler, from Essex Police’s serious and organised crime unit, said: “These prison sentences are a fair reflection of the months of careful surveillance and evidence gathering led by our team.
“Simon Renoldi, Iain Green, and Matthew Hutchinson were involved in the large-scale supply of drugs and the exchange of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of pounds.
“This was a lengthy investigation and trial process, but we built a solid case and a jury rightly saw through their lies.
“We work every day to tackle those involved in organised criminal activities and our message is clear – if you think you can commit crime in Essex and get away with it, you’re wrong and we’ll put you behind bars.”