A drug dealer who boasted of his luxury lifestyle on an encrypted messaging service has been jailed for 20 years.

Simon Rooney, 39, of Burnley, used the handle 'Luxuryfall' on the platform to supply cocaine and other illegal drugs.

Rooney was unaware that his messages had been recovered by French law enforcement and shared with the National Crime Agency (NCA) as part of Operation Venetic.

NCA officers began investigating Luxuryfall’s messages on Encrochat in May 2020. After trawling through thousands of messages, it became clear that Luxuryfall was involved in supplying cocaine and mephedrone – a Class B drug.

Luxuryfall also discussed importing cutting agents such as a horse wormer called tetramisole, which would bulk out the drugs to increase potential profits.

Investigators subsequently identified Rooney as the man behind Luxuryfall. Thinking his use of Encrochat gave him complete anonymity, Rooney shared images of his cars, his garden and his house, and described the extensive work he was having carried out at his home.

One message read:  “Mate I gutted this house its a nice area but looks like footballers moved in had it all k renders knocked walls out open plan massive kitchen dug all garden out on front made a massive drive fits 10cars…”

The NCA worked with Thames Valley Police (TVP) and Border Force who also launched investigations which identified Rooney was involved in drug supply.

On 24 May 2020, Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport seized 336kg of tetramisole which they recovered from a flight inbound from Hong Kong.

NCA officers subsequently identified that the email address on the paperwork for the cargo belonged to Rooney. Rooney – in the guise of Luxuryfall – also shared an image of the paperwork via EncroChat, further proving his link to the cutting agents.

The large quantity of tetramisole was estimated to have a wholesale value of around £47m, once mixed with cocaine.

Lancashire Telegraph: The Border Force image of the seized products and an image of cocaine Rooney had sent thinking it would be seen by the authorities.

In June 2020, TVP  officers investigating a fatal road traffic collision executed a search warrant at Manor Park in Kidlington. They recovered 60kg of amphetamine with a street value of around £600,000.

TVP investigators uncovered evidence that suggested Rooney had supplied the amphetamines to an organised crime group operating in Thames Valley and south east of England.

This was confirmed when subsequent forensic analysis of the drugs identified Rooney’s DNA on the drugs and packaging.

Together, TVP and NCA officers executed a warrant at Rooney’s home address in Burnley on 7 October 2021. He was arrested at his home and subsequently charged.

Rooney was convicted on Tuesday, 9 April, following a four-week trial at Oxford Crown Court in which a jury found him guilty of five offences relating to the supply of cocaine, mephedrone and amphetamines and conspiracy to acquire and supply cutting agents.

NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Andrew MacGill, said: “Together, the NCA, Border Force and Thames Valley closed the net on Rooney. By gathering irrefutable evidence of Rooney’s crimes we ensured he faced justice.

“We’ve also taken a large quantity of drugs and cutting agents out of circulation, so they cannot cause harm to communities or money from their sale be used to line the pockets of criminals.”

TVP investigating officer PC Adam Taylor said: “This is a fantastic result for everyone involved.

“My thanks go to everybody who has helped in this case. It has not been an easy trial, but I am grateful to the jury for their deliberations which has led to the convictions.

“Rooney is now serving a lengthy custodial sentence and a significant quantity of drugs have been removed from the supply chain.”