Sharing dog photo helped UK's enforcement agency nab drug traffickers; ordered to pay £1 million: Report

United Kingdom's National Crime Agency caught two drug traffickers and broke their organised crime group in 2020 after one of the members sent a picture of his pet dog to another.

There is an old saying that says a dog is a man's best friend. However, in this particular case, this best friend helped a law enforcement agency nab drug traffickers -- throwing his own master in the line of fire.

According to a report by London Evening Standard, the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency caught two drug traffickers and their organised crime group in 2020 after one of the members sent a picture of his pet dog to another.

They have been told to hand over almost £1.2m.

The national law enforcement agency said the group -- which included Stefan Baldauf (64) and Philip Lawson (63),  planned to send 448 kg of amphetamine worth £45 million to their Australian accomplices hidden in the arm of an excavator.

But, things didn't pan out well for them as one of the members, Danny Brown, sent Baldauf a picture of his French bulldog Bob, on an encrypted messaging platform called EncroChat. The picture also showcased Brown's partner's phone number on the dog collar.

Baldauf also sent an image which showed his reflection in a brass door sign.

The investigators zoomed in on the photo Brown sent to Baldauf and acquired the number displayed in the picture. This along with some other evidence helped to prove that Brown was part of the conspiracy.

Baldauf, who was jailed for 28 years in December 2022 was ordered by Kingston Crown Court to pay £1,007,637.

The court has given him three months to hand the money over or he will receive an extra seven years in jail.

Lawson who planned to hide the drugs in the excavator had used a welder to cut it open and then seal the excavator. He has been sentenced to 23 years.

He was ordered to pay £182,476 and was given the same conditions as Baldauf. The NCA said, "The money will go towards further crime fighting and the Treasury."

Chris Hill, who led the investigation, said: “These criminals did not care about the misery and exploitation that the supply of illegal drugs bring to the UK and Australian communities. All they cared about was money."

He added, “So these proceedings are immensely painful for them, hitting them in their pockets, and are a crucial way of showing other organised criminals that the consequences do not end when the prison door slams shut. The NCA continues to do everything possible, working at home and abroad, to protect the public from the threat of illegal drugs supply.”