Skip to content
Quick exit
  • Cymraeg
  • Reporting SARs
Leading the UK's fight to cut serious and organised crime
  • Who we are
    • Our mission
    • Our people
    • Our leadership
    • Governance and transparency
    • Inclusion, diversity and equality
    • Publications
  • What we do
    • What we investigate
    • Border vulnerabilities
    • Bribery, corruption and sanctions evasion
    • Cyber crime
    • Child sexual abuse and exploitation
    • Drug trafficking
    • Illegal firearms
    • Fraud
    • Kidnap and extortion
    • Modern slavery and human trafficking
    • Money laundering and illicit finance
    • Organised immigration crime
    • Operation Stovewood: Rotherham child sexual abuse investigation
    • How we work
    • Intelligence: enhancing the picture of serious organised crime affecting the UK
    • Investigating and disrupting the highest risk serious and organised criminals
    • Providing specialist capabilities for law enforcement
    • Supporting victims and survivors
  • News
    • All news
  • Careers
    • How to join the NCA
    • Applying and onboarding
    • Current vacancies
    • A day in the life
    • Benefits and support
  • Most Wanted
  • Contact us
    • Verify an NCA Officer
    • Complaints
  • Home >
  • News >
  • Operation Venetic: suspect charged overnight with drugs and firearm supply

Share this page:

Share this page:

News

Operation Venetic: suspect charged overnight with drugs and firearm supply

  • Drug trafficking
  • Firearms

A 24-year-old man who was arrested yesterday (2nd July) as part of an National Crime Agency led investigation under Operation Venetic has been charged.

Alsi Vata, of Deptford, South East London, was charged with conspiring to supply firearms and ammunition, as well as class A and B drugs.

Yesterday (2 July) the NCA announced that it had been working with international law enforcement since 2016 to target EncroChat – the supplier of encrypted devices used by criminals worldwide to coordinate illicit activity.

Two months ago the platform was infiltrated, allowing the NCA and police to monitor the users’ every move under Operation Venetic. 

Vata was detained by NCA officers, supported by the Metropolitan Police Service, as he left an apartment in Soho on Thursday morning. 

He is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 17th July 2020.

Peter Stevens, Branch Commander at the NCA, said: “It’s undeniable the levels of violence and exploitation that are linked to illegal drugs and firearms in the UK.

“Tackling the networks behind this type of criminality is a priority for the NCA and Operation Venetic is our most significant breakthrough in the fight against serious and organised crime.

“Not only are we arresting the criminal kingpins, we’re disrupting those middle-tier criminals before they can make their way up the chain and cause even greater harm.”

                                                            8cd84449380648939c955b4079ef4930

Latest from twitter

Share this page:

TOP ˄
0370 496 7622
NCA general enquiries or to verify an NCA officer, available 24/7
Click CEOP logo: Advice, Help, Report
  • Who we are

  • Our mission
  • What we do

  • How we investigate
  • How we work
  • News

  • Most wanted

  • Careers

  • A day in the life
  • Current vacancies
  • Contact us

  • Operation Stovewood
  • Suspicious activity reports
  • Verify an NCA officer
  • Complaints

Follow us

  • Sitemap
  • Privacy and Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Publications
  • Accessibility statement
© Crown Copyright
© Crown Copyright