Two charged after Home Secretary watches National Crime Agency EncroChat arrest

TWO men have been charged with drugs and money laundering offences as part of a National Crime Agency EmcroChat investigation.

The men were arrested in simultaneous raids on Tuesday morning this week at addresses in west Surrey and Hertfordshire.

The west Surrey arrest was witnessed by Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Raj Singh, 44, of Charlock Way, Abbotswood, Guildford, and Waqas Iqbal, 40, of Hurst Drive, Waltham Cross, are accused of conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply ketamine, conspiracy to import class A drugs and money laundering.

They appeared at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesdayand were remanded into custody.

They will next appear at Guildford Crown Court on 28 September.

The investigation into the suspects was part of Operation Venetic – the NCA-led, UK response to the takedown of encrypted comms platform EncroChat in 2020.