A couple from Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, has been sentenced for their roles in a vast money laundering and drug supply operation totaling over £12 million in criminal cash and drugs. Samuel De Vere-Hunt, 30, an unemployed man dubbed a “drug kingpin,” received 12 years’ imprisonment at Kingston Crown Court on January 30, 2026. His girlfriend, Rosie Wise, 25, a receptionist earning £13 per hour, got a 21-month suspended sentence for two years.
The Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Developing Threats Team uncovered the scheme through EncroChat messages, identifying De Vere-Hunt as users “Modernfeet” and “Immaculatetractor.” Between March and June 2020, he laundered £3.5 million and handled multi-kilo deals of ketamine and cannabis destined for London. A later probe revealed £2.8 million laundered and over 250kg of drugs supplied from September 2024 to January 2025, with a street value of £6 million.
Arrest and Seizures
Officers raided the couple’s School Road home on January 9, 2025, after De Vere-Hunt booked a flight abroad. They seized 15kg ketamine, 12kg cannabis, over 6kg Class A drugs (MDMA and 2C-B), and £179,000 cash inside. De Vere-Hunt was arrested leaving with two boxes holding £160,000 in a carrier bag.
Investigators linked the pair via phone data and food deliveries, despite evasion efforts. Analysis of De Vere-Hunt’s phone confirmed recent crimes, including 33kg of Class A and B drugs at the property. No drugs were directly tied to Wise, but her phone evidence led to her guilty plea.
Court Charges and Pleas
De Vere-Hunt pleaded guilty on March 27, 2025, to two counts of conspiracy to conceal criminal property, two counts of Class B drug supply, three counts of Class A possession with intent, four counts of Class B possession with intent, and possessing criminal property. Wise initially denied charges but pleaded guilty on June 25, 2025, to being concerned in Class A supply and possessing criminal property.
The court highlighted De Vere-Hunt’s key role in an organized crime group (OCG), moving millions while appearing low-profile. Wise’s involvement aided the operation, funding luxuries beyond her income. Sentencing reflected the scheme’s scale and harm from drug supply fueling London violence.
Lavish Lifestyle Funded by Crime
Despite De Vere-Hunt’s unemployment and Wise’s modest wage, they enjoyed holidays in Portugal, Ibiza, Los Angeles, and Mykonos, plus items like a Rolex watch. This opulence, prosecutors argued, stemmed from laundered proceeds, underscoring money laundering’s role in legitimizing crime gains.
EncroChat, cracked by European agencies in 2020, exposed thousands of criminal messages. Users thought it secure for coordinating drugs, violence, and laundering via modified phones. De Vere-Hunt’s handles showed trusted OCG status.
Police Statements
PC Bob Rosie, lead investigator, called probing De Vere-Hunt “like finding a needle in a haystack.” He praised data-led work identifying handles, leading to the Essex raid and drugs seizure. “Criminals should know we’ll identify, track, and prosecute them,” Rosie said, noting reduced violence from such disruptions.
The Met disrupted 21,230 OCGs last year, up 63%, via seizures, arrests, and prosecutions. This case exemplifies efforts against EncroChat-fueled networks, with others identified for court.
Broader Implications
Money laundering enables drug markets worth billions, per UK authorities. Operations like this convert dirty cash via couriers and crypto, funding violence and addiction. The £12m figure—over £6m cash laundered by De Vere-Hunt—highlights EncroChat’s downfall aiding convictions.
Sentences aim to deter, but experts note ongoing challenges from evolving tech. The Met’s success boosts public safety, targeting supply chains. No assets were detailed forfeited, but proceeds of crime laws apply.