Op Venetic: Man and his dad jailed after drugs and cash recovered from house in Everton

A 39-year-old man and his 63-year-old dad have been jailed after officers found more than £500,000 and Class A drugs at an address in Everton.

Dean Quinney, of Pete Best Drive, Liverpool, (above left) was arrested on Sunday 5th September 2021 and later charged, subsequently pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine at an earlier court hearing.

He was jailed for 10 years and four months at Liverpool Crown Court today, Thursday 21st December.

His dad David Quinney, of Boundary Street East, Liverpool, (above right) was jailed for four years after being found guilty at a previous trial of conceal / transfer / possess criminal property.

The Quinney’s are the latest men in Merseyside to be jailed as part of Operation Venetic – an international operation targeting criminals who used a mobile encryption service to try to evade detection.

Dean Quinney, who used the Encrochat handle “Livelyknee”, posed as the director of Liverpool blind company PSD Shutters while supplying large quantities of cocaine across Merseyside.

He used adapted vehicles as a cover for his illicit trade, stashing and transporting drugs and cash that totalled, at one point, £1.3m. In his own 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.

As a result of the Encrochat investigation officers then executed a warrant which 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.

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."