Samuel De Vere-Hunt presented a picture of quiet affluence, living with his girlfriend in a picturesque Essex village. Their home, nestled on a street where properties routinely exceeded £2 million, offered no outward sign of the elaborate criminal enterprise unfolding within its walls.
Behind closed doors, De Vere-Hunt operated as a major drug supplier, moving millions of pounds and substantial quantities of narcotics through the streets of London. He concealed his activities using the encrypted communication platform EncroChat, adopting the aliases “Modernfeet” and “Immaculatetractor” to mask his identity.
Police began to unravel the deception through a meticulous examination of digital footprints – seemingly innocuous details like takeaway food deliveries to the Kelvedon Hatch address. This painstaking detective work was the first thread in a complex investigation.
On January 9th, authorities raided the property, discovering a staggering cache of drugs. Fifteen kilograms of ketamine, twelve kilograms of cannabis, and over six kilograms of MDMA were seized, representing a street value of approximately £6 million.
The raid coincided with De Vere-Hunt’s attempt to flee the country; he had already checked in for a flight. As he exited his home, officers apprehended him carrying two boxes containing £160,000 in cash.
A further search of the residence revealed an additional £179,000 hidden throughout the property. Analysis of his communications revealed the scale of his operation: between September 2024 and January 2025, he had laundered £2.8 million and distributed over a quarter of a tonne of illicit substances.
Rosie Wise, De Vere-Hunt’s girlfriend, was identified as an accomplice and received a 21-month suspended sentence for her role in supplying drugs and possessing criminal property. She was implicated in the operation, despite maintaining a seemingly normal public life.
Detectives described De Vere-Hunt as a “drugs kingpin,” emphasizing the difficulty in identifying and tracking him due to his carefully constructed network of aliases and encrypted communications. The investigation underscored the challenges of combating organized crime in the digital age.
The successful dismantling of De Vere-Hunt’s network is part of a broader effort by law enforcement to disrupt the flow of drugs and reduce violence on London’s streets. Authorities reported a 63% increase in seizures of drugs, cash, and weapons in the past year, alongside a corresponding rise in prosecutions.
According to investigators, targeting these criminal networks directly contributes to a safer London, diminishing the exploitation and serious violence fueled by the illegal drug trade. Each arrest and conviction represents a step towards a more secure city.
