A drugs gang was busted after trafficker Danny Brown, 55, sent a selfie of his dog, Bob, on the encrypted platform EncroChat. Brown, who used the alias ‘throwthedice’, was plotting to ship 448 kilos of high-purity MDMA to Australia when the photo helped investigators crack the case.
Brown sent the image to co-conspirator Stefan Baldauf, 62, which linked phone numbers and identities to the gang. National Crime Agency (NCA) officers used the accidental selfies and the dog photo as key evidence. Chris Hill, NCA operations manager, said, “Brown and Baldauf’s accidental selfies and the photo of Bob the dog were the cherry on the cake in proving who was operating those handles.”
The gang concealed the drugs inside the arm of a Doosan DX420 excavator, valued at €75,000. The 40-tonne machine was shipped from Leeds to Australia, disguised as a sale through a rigged online auction with pre-arranged bids. When genuine buyers showed interest, the gang exchanged frantic messages. Brown said, “F***ing hell, that’s not good is it.” Leon Reilly, 50, warned, “There are six people watching it.”
The excavator was secretly moved through Southampton docks before arriving in Brisbane in March 2020. Australian Border Force x-rayed the machine, discovered the hidden drugs, and installed trackers and bugs to monitor the operation.
At Kingston Crown Court, Brown, Baldauf, Reilly, and three others were convicted of drug trafficking in June last year. Brown received a 26-year sentence; Baldauf was jailed for 28 years; and Reilly got 24 years. Other convicted members include Tony Borg (15 years), Philip Lawson (23 years), and Peter Murray (24 years).
The conspiracy, running from late 2019 to early 2020, aimed to smuggle MDMA with 77.5% purity, which commands a higher street price in Australia than in the UK.
EncroChat, taken down in 2020 through Operation Venetic, was widely used by criminals to coordinate activities. The NCA’s breakthrough came from linking secret handles to real identities, aided by Brown’s dog photo and careless selfies. Brown’s reflection appeared on a TV screen in one image, while Baldauf’s face was reflected on a brass door sign.
Chris Hill of the NCA commented, “These men thought they were safe on EncroChat but my officers did a superb and painstaking job combining traditional and modern detective skills. The gang went to great lengths—even rigging an auction—to transfer drugs worth tens of millions. The NCA, working with partners at home and abroad, is determined to protect communities from the scourge of Class A drugs.”
The full roster of sentenced individuals is as follows:
- Danny Brown, Bromley – 26 years
- Stefan Baldauf, Ealing – 28 years
- Leon Reilly, Uxbridge – 24 years
- Philip Lawson, Staines-upon-Thames – 23 years
- Peter Murray – 24 years
- Tony Borg, Basildon – 15 years
Two men connected to the Australian side remain under investigation in Australia.
Originally published by UKNIP.
