Dealer found with gold bars and cocaine worth £400k

A drug dealer has been jailed after police discovered large quantities of drugs, cash and gold bars at his home in Leicester.

Leicestershire Police identified Chaitanya Sharma, 33, after specialist officers from France, Netherlands and the UK, cracked an encrypted chat platform.

When police raided his address in Babingley Drive, in November 2025, they found four kilos of cocaine - estimated to be worth more than £400,000 - £58,000 worth of cannabis, more than £110,000 in cash and gold bars worth about £70,000.

Sharma was sentenced to 14 years in prison at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.

Sharma was arrested following an investigation by East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), which identified his involvement in drug activity through the encrypted messaging platform EncroChat.

The top-secret communications system, used almost exclusively by organised crime groups worldwide, was dismantled in early 2020 as part of a major international law enforcement operation, giving UK police access to previously hidden communications.

EMSOU detectives analysed recovered data linked to criminals in the East Midlands, identifying two EncroChat usernames belonging to Sharma.

The data showed that between March and June 2020, he was involved in supplying large quantities of Class A drugs, including at least 27kg (59.5lbs) of cocaine.

Investigators estimate he handled £489,500 in cash connected to drug deals during this time.

Sharma pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

Det Sgt Chris Sewell, from Leicestershire Police, said: "Sharma had been involved in the supply of cocaine to the value of at least nearly half a million pounds, and it is clear from the cash and designer goods found at his address he was profiting immensely from this illegal activity.

"The information gained from EncroChat, combined with the painstaking work of our officers, allowed us to dismantle his operation and bring him to justice.

"We will continue to target and disrupt organised crime groups who cause harm in our communities."

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