In a bizarre twist of fate, Jordan McCourt-Knight, a 30-year-old drug dealer from the UK, accidentally helped authorities dismantle a major international drug trafficking organization after losing a bag full of drugs. The bag, which contained a significant amount of ketamine worth between $25,000 and $50,000, was found on a passenger train at Newport train station in November 2019.
McCourt-Knight had already reported the bag as missing, making it easy for the British Transport Police (BTP) to track him down. Upon his arrest, officers discovered not only the lost drugs but also a small quantity of additional drugs, over $2,400 in cash, and a high-end “EncroPhone” — a secure mobile device often used by criminals to communicate covertly.
Investigations revealed that McCourt-Knight and his associates had used the “Encro-Chat” app on their EncroPhones to coordinate the sourcing and distribution of drugs, including cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, and cannabis, from international suppliers. Police were able to trace these communications to uncover the full scope of the operation, which spanned across various parts of the UK.
The BTP’s detective sergeant, Dan Murdoch, stated, “McCourt-Knight boasted about his use of his Encro-Device…but his boastfulness was short-lived. One careless mistake led to the unraveling of the entire operation.”
McCourt-Knight pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine and MDMA) and class B drugs (ketamine and cannabis). He was sentenced to six years and three months in prison for his role in the trafficking network.