Braintree: More than six years for money-laundering dealer

A drug dealer has been jailed for more than six years after officers dismantled a ‘complex and sophisticated’ supply network in north Essex.

In August 2023, officers in Suffolk Constabulary found messages to Francis Lagonski, 23, on a phone seized from a suspect in their own drug supply investigation.

The messages had been sent over an end-to-end encrypted app, and indicated Lagonski, of Beech Avenue in Braintree, was supplying Class A and Class B drugs.

Officers from our Serious Crime Directorate commenced an investigation into Lagonski and his operation for months to build their case ahead of warrants being executed at two addresses, one in Braintree and one in Halstead, in February 2024.

During these warrants officers found a sophisticated production line for packaging and distributing illegal substances. Tests on items seized in the warrants identified MDMA, cocaine, ketamine and mephedrone.

More crucially, the evidence on his phones showed he was in full control of the operation found. He was buying and selling large quantities of drugs, and posting them across the UK on a daily basis.

Within a safe was also £24,000 worth of solid gold coins, and £7,000 in cash.

Lagonski was arrested on 17 February 2024 and subsequently charged with two counts of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug, two counts of conspiracy to supply and Class B drug, and two counts of money laundering.

He pleaded guilty to all these offences and was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 1 August.

'Crime cannot pay in Essex'

Detective Inspector Frazer Low said:

“We have dismantled a complex and sophisticated drug supply operation.
“Lagonski’s enterprise was inflicting harm on people and communities across the country for his own criminal gain.
“He was organised, detailed and deliberate throughout his crimes – this pattern of behaviour became his undoing as our officers built an incredibly strong case against him.
“His notebooks showed he could have been a millionaire if not caught. He had assets in cash, gold and cryptocurrency and was laundering his criminal gains as he went.
“It has taken weeks of work by officers in our Cyber Unit to seize an estimated £100,000 of his digital assets, which are now in the process of being confiscated or forfeited under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
“Our work in the Serious Crime Directorate never stops at conviction.
“We will make sure criminals cannot access their former assets – crime cannot and does not pay in Essex.”

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