Man jailed for over seven years for breaking crime prevention order and supplying heroin and cocaine using encrypted chat handles

In 2020, Yaqub set up and had use of two different encrypted devices where he was in conversation with several different recipients on a regular basis between March and December 2020.

Encrypted chats are often used by Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) for their communications to supply drugs and weapons, as they try to go about their illicit dealings undetected.

Initially, Yaqub was operating under the handle ‘blackelf’ from March to April 2020, before he changed his handle to ‘thanks.com’ from May to December 2020.

As part of an investigation, data pulled from both devices attributed Yaqub to both handles.

A thorough examination of Yaqub’s devices revealed the criminal activities of him and his close associates relating to the supply of drugs.

Yaqub was subjected to a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO), following a previous conviction in 2014 for supplying heroin in Cambridgeshire, West Yorkshire.

The SCPO required Yaqub to only be in possession on one phone and to provide the number of that device to the relevant police force when requested.

It came to light that Yaqub had a device that was using an unregistered number, which alerted detectives to suspicious activity, and an investigation was launched.

The investigation revealed that that during the life of both handles, approximately 38.5 kilos of heroin had been acquired and four kilos of cocaine, which equates to approximately £650,000 in wholesale value.

Following a meticulous investigation, Yaqub pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and cocaine, and was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison at Bradford Crown Court on Friday 11 April 2025.

Detective Constable Paul Ashton, from Greater Manchester Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Group , said: 

Yaqub thought he could outsmart the law and use encrypted chat platforms to supply vulnerable drug users with class A substances to make significant profits for himself. 

Criminals like this have no regard for others in the community and are only out for their own gain, leaving a path of misery and destruction in their wake. 

I am pleased with this sentence today and hope that our residents feel reassured that we will relentlessly seek to bring those responsible to justice and keep our communities safe. 

I’d like to say thank you to those who continue to support us and submit intelligence – this plays a vital part in our investigations.”