Officers at Northumbria Police have jailed 38 people for 360 years, after a major crackdown on organised crime in the North East.

Since 2020, the officers have been actively targeting criminal groups involved in large-scale drug supply and money laundering, in a campaign known as Operation Venetic.

This joint operation with law enforcement and criminal justice partners resulted in the infiltration of the encrypted messaging platform, EncroChat, just before the Covid 19 pandemic.

To date, this operation has seen 44 offenders jailed for offences from supplying cocaine and spice, to conspiracy to supply prohibited weapons – with sentences totalling close to 360 years.

Among the convicted are Chris Dixon and Elliot Hopewell, both jailed for 37 years due to their involvement in the UK’s illegal drugs and firearms market.

The messages found on their encrypted devices revealed sales of illegal substances such as spice and amphetamine, and dangerous weapons including a hand-grenade and an Uzi submachine gun.

The pair are among 20 EncroChat device owners, who collectively have been sentenced to a staggering 254 years and seven months in jail.

Across the country, the operation has seen 2,000 suspects charged nationwide, with more than 1,300 convictions.

Detective chief inspector Marc Michael said: "Since Op Venetic launched, we have consistently seen outstanding results which have put criminals behind bars, taken drugs out of circulation and undoubtedly made our communities safer."

He added: "Thanks to the support from our criminal justice partners, these criminals have been put behind bars for more than 359 years and their illicit organisations dismantled and stripped of their assets.

"I’d like to thank everyone who has played their part, including our colleagues at NEROCU [North East Regional Organised Crime Unit] as well as the members of the community who continue to report suspicious behaviour and activity to us.

"I have no doubt our regional approach to serious and organised crime will continue to see fantastic results in 2024."

Northumbria Police encourage everyone to report crimes through its official website or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.