A father and son have been jailed for selling drugs – after bragging about stashing over £500,000 in cash in the floorboard and walls.
Dean Quinney, 39, and his father David Quinney, 63, worked together to supply class A drugs.
The pair are the latest men in Liverpool, Merseyside to be jailed as part of Operation Venetic.
The international operation is targeting criminals who used a mobile encryption service to try to evade detection.
Dean Quinney used the Encrochat handle “Livelyknee”.
He posed as the director of Liverpool blind company PSD Shutters while supplying large quantities of cocaine across Merseyside.
Quinney used adapted vehicles as a cover for his illicit trade.
He stashed and transported drugs and cash that at one point totalled £1.3 million.
In his messages, he bragged that he had hidden cash under “floorboards, behind walls and everywhere”.
He arranged for a significant quantity of cash to be stored at his dad David’s address in on Boundary Street East, Everton.
The Encrochat investigation led officers to execute a warrant.
They uncovered £554,760 at the property.
Officers also recovered photos from the Encrochat data which revealed several thousands of cash laid out on a carpet and a kilo of cocaine.
Dean was arrested on 5 September 2021.
He was later charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine.
He was jailed for 10 years and four months at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday (21 December).
His dad David Quinney, was jailed for four years after being found guilty at a previous trial of conceal, transfer and possess criminal property.
Detective Inspector Peter McCullough said: “Quinney used several covert tactics to store and transport drugs and hundreds of thousands of pounds using a business, vehicles and different addresses.
“However his sentencing proves that crime does not pay, and we will work tirelessly to make sure those who try to profit from the sale of illegal drugs are handed lengthy jail terms for their crimes.
“Despite the increasing number of people sentenced for these crimes across Merseyside our work still continues along with law enforcement agencies across the world, to pursue anyone who tries to forge a lifestyle that destroys lives and families.
“Serious organised crime is not a lifestyle of choice and we will target anyone involved to ensure it is stamped out of our streets, businesses and communities.”
