Welcome to this bonus episode of the documentary from the BBC World Service. I host the Global

Story podcast, where we look for unique takes on the news from BBC journalists around the world.

We thought you'd like this episode where we hear how an international police operation brought

down one of the UK's most feared organised crime groups. We'll bring you highlights of the Global Story podcast here whenever we can,

but to hear all our episodes, every weekday, Monday to Friday,

search for the Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

And just a warning, this episode contains descriptions

some of you may find upsetting.

In 2020, law enforcement agencies across Europe were given an incredible opportunity

when French police managed to blow open the highly encrypted phone network, EncroChat.

That allowed crime agencies across Europe to see more than a hundred

million messages exchanged amongst high-level criminals, an unprecedented bank of evidence against

some of the continent's most notorious drug dealers, money launders and people smugglers.

Now the BBC has gained access to 10,000 of those messages relating to one crime

family in the British city of Liverpool. On this episode, we hear how two brothers instilled fear

through chilling violence and how their plots for revenge planned by phone ultimately stop

them in their tracks.

With me is Brona Munro, our reporter who's been investigating this story for the BBC's Panorama program.

Good morning. Hello.

Now, you are sharp-eyed, sharp-eared, and you know a lot about crime.

So in terms of crime reporting, where does this story fit in? Like,

how big is it? Well, to use the words of the experts that we've been speaking to, they say it is

...