In a case that has gripped the North East of England, two men at the center of a "slick and professional" cocaine operation have been sentenced to a combined 40 years in prison after police cracked their secret communications network. David Cairns, 47, and Gary Mitchell, 48, both from County Durham, were found guilty at Newcastle Crown Court of running a highly organized drug ring that stashed vast amounts of cocaine and cash in an old quarry fortified with security cameras.
The unraveling of their criminal enterprise began not on British soil, but in France, where law enforcement successfully infiltrated EncroChat, an encrypted messaging platform favored by criminal networks who believed their conversations were untouchable. According to BBC News, the breakthrough allowed police to monitor a three-month period between April and June 2020, during which Cairns and Mitchell arranged the purchase and distribution of 23 kilograms of cocaine. The drugs, each kilo valued at £37,500, were stored alongside large sums of money in Tuthill Quarry, near Haswell, County Durham. The site itself was equipped with CCTV cameras, a testament to the gang's efforts to safeguard their illicit assets.
Judge Edward Bindloss, who presided over the case, didn’t mince words when describing the scale and sophistication of the operation. "This was a well-run, slick, professional operation. You had a good relationship with suppliers and customers and you had a trusted group of people to help run this operation," he said in court, as reported by ChronicleLive. He further remarked on the "large profits to be made," and the expectation of significant financial advantage for those involved.
Both Cairns and Mitchell denied being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, but the evidence—painstakingly gathered from their EncroChat messages—told a different story. The court heard that the men operated as wholesalers, using the aliases "Tractor Driver" and "Military Farmer" on the encrypted network. The operation, which ran during the first coronavirus lockdown, saw them acting as a hub for cocaine distribution at a wholesale level in the North East, with their client base and supply chain described as both broad and trusted.
Their efforts to conceal the scale of their business were elaborate. Drugs, money, and other paraphernalia were literally "buried underground" at the quarry, with hidden cameras keeping constant watch. A particularly telling image found by police showed Cairns sitting at home with £188,000 in cash laid out on the floor—a snapshot of the vast sums involved. Prosecutor Ian West told the court, "There were multiple purchases of multiple kilos of cocaine during the indictment period. They were buying it from different sources at different prices and having possession of hundreds of thousands of pounds. There was a picture of £188,000 on Mr Cairns' floor. We say they had an expectation of substantial financial advantage."
The purity of the cocaine was another notable aspect of the case. Judge Bindloss stated that the drugs were likely to be of 90% purity, underscoring the high value and potential danger of the operation. The judge also dismissed any suggestion that the pair did not enjoy a lavish lifestyle, pointing to the evidence of cash and drugs being buried underground and the scale of the profits at stake.
David Cairns, of Salters Lane in Shotton Colliery, was no stranger to the criminal justice system. He had previously served two long sentences for drug supply offenses: eight years in 2003 for conspiracy to supply cocaine, MDMA, and cannabis, and another ten years in 2010 for being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Notably, the old quarry had featured in his earlier criminal activities as well. Gary Mitchell, of George Street in Haswell, also had previous convictions, though none related to drug offenses.
Both men were ultimately found guilty by jurors of being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Cairns received a 22-year sentence, while Mitchell was handed 18 years behind bars. The sentences reflect not only the gravity of their crimes but also their leading roles in what the court described as a "well-run, slick, professional operation." The judge made it clear that both men were "playing leading roles in this business," acting as central figures in a trusted network that extended to suppliers and customers alike.
The case also highlighted the crucial role of international cooperation in tackling organized crime. The EncroChat network, once believed by its users to be impenetrable, was brought down by a coordinated effort between French and British law enforcement. The hack allowed authorities to access a treasure trove of messages that laid bare the inner workings of criminal enterprises across Europe, including the one run by Cairns and Mitchell. As BBC News reported, the timeframe captured by police was just a "snapshot" of their activities, suggesting that the true scale of their operation may have been even greater.
Mitchell, during sentencing, expressed remorse for his actions. His barrister told the court that Mitchell wanted to apologize for his offending and for "wasting everyone's time," adding that he had been "humbled by the experience" and the verdicts. Cairns’s defense, meanwhile, argued that there were others above him in the supply chain and that he wished "to be the responsible man that he can be and is." However, the judge was unmoved, emphasizing the leading roles both men played and the commercial scale of their operation.
The sentences handed down serve as a stark warning to those tempted by the lure of easy money in the drug trade. The case also demonstrates the increasingly sophisticated methods used by organized crime—and the equally determined efforts of law enforcement to keep pace. With encrypted networks like EncroChat no longer offering safe harbor, authorities have shown that even the most well-organized operations can be brought to justice.
For the communities of County Durham and beyond, the hope is that this high-profile conviction will disrupt the supply of dangerous drugs and send a clear message: no matter how elaborate the scheme, the law can—and will—catch up.
