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A Liverpool drug dealer has been jailed for 10 years and three months following an investigation by Cheshire Police.
Operation Thunderball is a complex investigation in to the trade in drugs and firearms by the Serious and Organised Crime Unit into criminals using the encrypted phone network, Encrochat.
Jack Wymer, 29, of Huyton is the latest criminal to be jailed as part of the operation. He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 24 April to be sentenced after pleading guilty to drugs and ammunition possession.
He was given 10 years for the drugs offence and three months for the ammunition possession.
Detectives found he was the man behind the EncroChat handle ‘ItchyTrain’, and that he was selling cannabis, heroin and cocaine.
Messages uncovered from his phone included photos of a kilo block of heroin, and the burned out remains of a Spanish villa, used to grow cannabis. It’s believed that the fire started after the electricity meter had been bypassed.
Detectives discovered messages to other dealers about cannabis as well as evidence he was selling Class A drugs, heroin and cocaine.
Wymer was also linked to Lewis Fitzpatrick who was identified as the man behind the EncroChat handle ‘LimeEagle’. He was in regular contact with Wymer via their EncroChat devices. He was sentenced to 26 years in prison last April for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and firearms possession.
In a Newton Hearing last week the court heard police were unable to find evidence that the pair had actually agreed the exchange of firearms. However, when his address was raided on July 23, 2020, police found three “viable” rounds of .44 calibre ammunition.
Officers also recovered £35,000 in English and Scottish notes at the house.
Detective Chief Inspector Ian Murray from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit said, “Wymer was heavily involved in the sale of illegal drugs in Cheshire and was part of an organised crime gang from Liverpool which was intent on supplying drugs to our communities and destroying lives.
“Operation Thunderball which has been running since 2020 targets these higher level criminals and shows our commitment to tackling large scale drug supply across borders.
“Our message is that regardless of where you are from we will continue to pursue you until you fear travelling into a county where being caught will be the only outcome.”
Image: Cheshire Constabulary
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