Award-winning army veteran who helped gangsters flood streets with cocaine snared in huge Encrochat sting
manchestereveningnews.co.ukAn army veteran who won medals for his service was among three men locked up for their part in a huge cocaine dealing operation foiled by cops who hacked into their Encrochat messages.
The men were involved in discussions over the buying, selling and movement of at least 13 kilos of the drug, valued at between £30,000 and £33,000-a-kilo, during a seven-week period during the first Covid lockdown.
They also discussed criminal cash assets of over £1.1million police said. The operation was 'orchestrated' jointly by Jake Meade, 33, and Dale Reid, 31, who had previously served prison terms for dealing. READ MORE: However, a court heard their 'trusted courier and storeman' was Liam McGrath, 34, who served in the military for nine years, rising to the rank of Corporal.
He earned the Queen's Jubilee Medal and the Iraq Medal during his near-decade of service. However post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) triggered by his dad's suicide and his experiences in the field saw him turn to drug use and he became involved in a bid to pay off his debts, a judge was told.
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