Wedding was previously indicted in Los Angeles federal court on multiple federal charges, including running a continuing criminal enterprise, committing murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and assorted drug crimes. A superseding indictment was filed in November, alleging that Wedding ordered the killing of a witness who was set to testify against him in a federal drug trafficking case, according to the Justice Department.
A senior detective said cracking the covert messaging platform EncroChat was pivotal in securing convictions against members of an organised crime group who planned to smuggle 48m worth of cocaine into Europe. The gang was involved in the plot to smuggle 600kg (94st 6lb) of the Class A drug on a yacht that was being used in a transatlantic sailing race. The ringleaders - Lee McClenaghan and Lea Talbot, both from Essex - admitted their involvement and were imprisoned for 30 and 23 years respectively.
