MAIDSTONE, Kent — A drug dealer involved in the large-scale distribution of cocaine and cannabis across Kent has been sentenced to prison after his criminal operations were exposed by an international crackdown on encrypted communication.
Gareth Harnett, 43, was sentenced on Friday, February 13, 2026, after admitting to being concerned in the supply of drugs totalling £92,000. The charges stem from illegal activities conducted between March and June 2020.
The ‘Zanyenergy’ Investigation
The investigation into Harnett began after international law enforcement agencies successfully infiltrated EncroChat, a secure messaging service once favored by organized crime networks for its perceived anonymity.
Decrypted data shared with Kent Police revealed that Harnett operated under the handle ‘Zanyenergy’. The messages provided detectives with a detailed log of Harnett’s daily operations, which included:
- Bulk Purchasing: Arranging to buy large quantities of cannabis, typically priced between £4,500 and £4,750 per kilo.
- Logistics: Coordinating cash exchanges and drug drops using specific postcodes in Ramsgate and Canterbury.
- Evidence: Sharing photographs of the narcotics to facilitate sales.
- Management: Directing a network of individuals he referred to as his “workers” to distribute the drugs on his behalf.
While the criminal activity took place in 2020, Harnett was eventually tracked to Newcastle, where he was living at the time of his arrest in December 2024. Following the presentation of the EncroChat evidence, he was subsequently charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis.
The court heard how the infiltration of the EncroChat platform was instrumental in dismantling Harnett’s operation, which had previously allowed him to coordinate high-value transactions under the radar of traditional surveillance.
At Canterbury Crown Court on Friday 13 February 2026, Harnett admitted both offences and was given a custodial sentence of four years and six months.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Aaron Chapman said:
‘It was clear from his encrypted messages that Gareth Harnett played an integral role in the supply of illegal drugs, and even in such a short space of time, a lot of drugs and money passed through his hands. Due to the strength of the case and the compelling evidence brought to court by our detectives, which demonstrated how pivotal he was in supplying drugs to the county, Harnett was left with little choice other than to admit his culpability.’