A drug supplier caught red-handed with illegal substances and £81k criminal cash at his home, has been jailed for nine years and nine months today, 18 September.
Officers from a joint National Crime Agency and Merseyside Police team discovered bags of cocaine, MDMA and ketamine scattered around 29-year-old Josh Smith’s Liverpool house when they arrested him on 24 February 2026.
The investigators believe the £81k, most of which was found in hallway cupboard, is profits from Smith’s lucrative enterprise selling an array of toxic substances to people across Merseyside.
Officers also recovered two Rolex watches and designer goods worth more than £100k, including Christian Dior and Chanel clothing and Louis Vuitton, Loro Piana and Givenchy shoes – which they say Smith purchased using money from drugs.
Smith’s arrest was the culmination of an investigation by Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership – a joint Merseyside Police and National Crime Agency team dedicated to tackling serious and organised crime in the county.
The OCP began its enquiries after an international law enforcement operation targeting EncroChat – an encrypted phone service used by criminals – unearthed incriminating messages sent by an unknown UK-based user with the handle ‘Frostyfirm’.
OCP Merseyside investigators sifted through thousands of Frostyfirm’s messages, finding conversations in which he arranged the supply of cocaine, heroin and cannabis resin with other EncroChat users.
Smith’s EncroChat messages revealed that he supplied 8 kilograms of cocaine, 6 kilograms of heroin and 24 kilograms of cannabis.
Frostyfirm sent contacts pictures of large quantities of cash, the drugs he was supplying and their prices. Officers also found messages in which Frostyfirm and others discussed how to evade police while out delivering drugs.
Eagled-eyed investigators painstakingly scrutinised Frostyfirm’s chats for clues to the man behind the moniker, eventually pinpointing him as Josh Smith.
The tell-tale texts included references Frostyfirm made to his age, his brother’s name and a company run by his mum. He also sent a contact a photo of his TV which showed his PlayStation username ‘Josh-Smith-1878’.
When officers arrested Smith at his home they found an iPhone which contained further messages arranging drug deals, in addition to 22g of cocaine and MDMA and ketamine.
It’s believed Smith supplied drugs worth around £500k in total.
When faced with the evidence gathered by Merseyside OCP, Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, cannabis resin, MDMA and ketamine, as well as possession of criminal property – for the cash and designer goods – at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this year.
The NCA’s Jon Hughes, co-head of Merseyside OCP, said:
“This investigation began with thousands of anonymised messages which officers painstakingly examined, identifying a commercial-scale drugs enterprise being run by Josh Smith.
“When we arrested Smith at his home, we discovered a treasure trove of evidence. Officers spent hours recovering drugs, criminal cash, luxury clothes and accessories and a phone Smith had been using to conduct his criminal business.
“Smith had been happily supplying harmful, violence-fuelling drugs while living a life of luxury from profits but thanks to Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership he’s now behind bars.”
18 September 2026
