Kinahan crime group leader Thomas Kavanagh plotted weapons acquisition from prison to influence drug smuggling sentencing, thwarted by NCA via EncroChat messages.

Thomas Kavanagh, a leader in the Kinahan organized crime group, plotted from prison to acquire weapons to influence his sentencing in a drug smuggling case. He enlisted his brother-in-law, Liam Byrne, and associate Shaun Kent to mislead the National Crime Agency (NCA) about the legitimacy of their actions. The scheme was thwarted when the NCA accessed incriminating messages on the encrypted EncroChat platform. All three have admitted to conspiracy charges and await sentencing.

October 20, 2024
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