Since the launch of Operation Eternal, the Metropolitan Police’s largest ever operation targeting members of organised crime groups, over 420 criminals have been jailed and three tons of illegal drugs have been seized. Op Eternal focuses on criminals who use encrypted EncroChat devices to coordinate drug deals, money laundering, and violence.
The operation has disrupted the operations of organised crime groups and led to prosecutions against individuals involved in supplying drugs and firearms to London gang members and dealers, which contributes to the violence seen in the city’s communities.
Op Eternal has been at the forefront of using data-led policing to target those criminals causing the most harm in London, in line with the Met’s A New Met for London plan.
The success of Operation Eternal includes:
– 942 arrests, averaging more than one arrest every two days
– 784 individuals charged with offences including drug possession with intent/supply/conspiracy to supply, firearms, money laundering, and violence
– 426 people convicted, with a total of 3,722 years in prison (an average of over eight-and-a-half years per person)
– Over £19 million in cash seized
– More than three tons of Class A and B drugs seized
– 49 guns and 755 pieces of ammunition seized
Commander Paul Brogden, who leads the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, described Op Eternal as the most significant operation targeting organised crime figures in the Met’s history. The operation has targeted dangerous criminals who play a key role in supplying drugs to street gangs, causing misery in communities across London.
Commander Brogden highlighted the dedication and skill of the officers and staff involved in Op Eternal and emphasised that the operation is ongoing. Many more cases are being progressed behind the scenes, and the police will continue to investigate all EncroChat handles until all criminals are brought to justice.
Operation Eternal was launched in March 2020 after French law enforcement accessed EncroChat data and passed it to the Met. The operation has been supported by partners such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) and European law enforcement agencies, as well as the Crown Prosecution Service.
Craig Turner, NCA Deputy Director of Investigations, praised the achievements of Operation Venetic, the NCA’s operation that infiltrated EncroChat. He highlighted the transformation of intelligence into evidence, leading to thousands of arrests and described it as a watershed moment in the fight against serious and organised crime.
