A notorious Cheshire drug dealer who went by the name ‘Monstermunchman’ has been handed a lengthy jail sentence.
Jamie Joseph Veale appeared at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this week after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, and has subsequently been handed jail time due to being found responsible for the supply of around 17kg of cocaine through an encrypted device.
Using the handle ‘Monstermunchman’, Cheshire Police explained that the 32-year-old from Widnes used EncroChat to run his large-scale conspiracy.
If you’re not familiar with EncroChat, it was a once-secretive communications network that was used exclusively by serious and organised criminals, all before it was cracked by international law enforcement back in May 2020.
Cheshire drug dealer known by the name ‘Monstermunchman’ has been jailed Credit: Cheshire Police
After the network was brought down, Cheshire Police became part of a significant operation led by the National Crime Agency, and after joining forces and working together with the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and the Crown Prosecution Service, this eventually led to Veale being identified as a suspect.
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Data obtained from a three-week period between 19 May and 13 June 2020 showed Veale using EncroChat to operate as “a high-level purveyor of drugs”, according to Cheshire Police – with the 32-year-old being seen to negotiate prices for kilo amounts of class A drugs, and ultimately being found responsible for the supply of at least 17kg of cocaine.
Apparently, even though Veale had “no visible signs of income”, detectives found that he would regularly talk on EncroChat of staying in luxury villas overseas for months at a time, and going on extravagant holidays, as well as claiming to own a jet ski and a haul designer watches.
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On Monday 29 June 2020, Cheshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit
Jamie Joseph Veale from Widnes has been handed an 18 year jail sentence / Credit: Cheshire Police
After executing a warrant back in June 2020, officers raided Veale’s home and found multiple mobile devices, cash, a large amount of designer jewellery and clothing, and drug related paraphernalia – which led to him being arrested and charged with drugs supply offences.
“Despite having no job, Veale reaped the benefits of his criminal activity, owning luxury items and going on expensive trips abroad,” explained Detective Sergeant Christian Gordon.
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“He was responsible for the supply of a substantial amount of cocaine and ran his conspiracy through a platform he believed would keep him under the radar… [but] thanks to hard work, he is now facing a lengthy spell behind bars.”
DS Gordon admitted that although this case is now closed, Cheshire Police’s “fight against those intent on bringing illegal drugs into our communities” is still ongoing.
Featured Image – Cheshire Police
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‘Prolific’ South Manchester burglar jailed for thefts which included peanuts…
Daisy Jackson
A ‘prolific’ burglar has been jailed for just over two years, for numerous thefts including sunglasses, airpods, and peanuts…
The man was caught red-handed inside someone’s property, where he claimed he was just wanting a glass of water – but was found by police officers to have the resident’s car keys in his pocket.
Fazal Alnesi, 26, from Moss Side, was then linked to a number of other burglaries, attempted burglaries, and thefts across South Manchester.
Fazal was sentenced to 27 months at Manchester Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to offences including six counts of burglary in June of this year.
He was arrested on 12 June, when a man returned to his home in Fallowfield in the early hours of the morning and discovered Fazal inside his address.
He claimed he was there because he wanted a glass of water but subsequently refused to leave, which led to police being called.
Officers placed Alnensi in handcuffs and found the resident’s car keys in his pocket, as well as indications that he’d been rummaging through the man’s drawers.
He was later linked to other thefts include a wrench set from a car, a pedal cycle worth £350, airpods, sunglasses – and even peanuts from one address.
He additionally took an electric bike charger from one address worth hundreds of pounds.
PC Jon Holden, from GMP’s City of Manchester district, said: “Alnensi took various items from several homes and cars across a two-week period earlier this year, making off with hundreds of pounds worth of goods.
“Ultimately, Alnensi left people feeling unsafe in his own home, and I am glad he is now behind bars.
“Our team will investigate all burglaries, and I would encourage people to get in touch with us – all intelligence helps us lock up criminals and bring them to justice.”
The top 10 ‘happiest’ places to live in the North West in 2026 have been named
Emily Sergeant
The top 10 happiest places to live in the North West have been named for 2026.
It comes as Rightmove has published its annual ‘Happy at Home’ index this week, just as it has done for the last 14 years now, exploring exactly what it is that makes people feel content about where they live, and highlighting the happiest places nationwide ahead of the new year – with thousands of residents across more than 200 locations providing feedback.
The residents told the leading property listing platform what they love (or don’t love) about their community, from the friendliness of their neighbours, to job opportunities, access to green spaces, and so much more.
The survey also outlined the differences in happiness in rural, urban, and suburban environments, as well as the way our sense of ‘home happiness’ changes as we age.
So, when it comes to the North West as a whole then, where do we have in the top 10?
Well, to kick things off, you may have already seen that one Lancashire market town has earned its place in the top 10 nationwide, not just for the North West region – and that’s Chorley.
Closest to the Bolton and Wigan boroughs, Chorley – which is is about a 40-minute drive outside of Manchester, and sits on a direct train route into the city centre.
But aside from the national top 10, when it comes to the regional top 10, the next two towns following Chorley in second and third are both in Greater Manchester.
The North West’s top 10 happiest places to live 2026
Chorley
Stockport
Altrincham
Chester
Macclesfield
Southport
Kendal
Wirral
Northwich
Carlisle
Altrincham has been named one of the North West’s happiest places to live / Credit: The Manc Group
The ever-thriving Stockport comes in at number two, followed by Trafford favourite Altrincham directly behind it at number three.
Other of the region’s inclusions like Bury, Bolton, Wigan, and the Manchester borough itself all ranked towards the bottom.
Speaking on this year’s list, Colleen Babcock – a property expert at Rightmove – explained: “The balance between greenery and everyday convenience runs through the wider findings. Even among people who would ideally choose a rural setting, access to amenities, parks and public transport remains important.
“This year’s results suggest that the places people rate most highly aren’t simply urban or rural, but often bring together some of the best elements of both.”
Featured Image – Roger Kidd (via Wikimedia Commons)
Emily Sergeant -
27th July 2023 
