The pair’s operation made 拢5 million in profit from importing drugs over 10 weeks in 2020 alone.
Metropolitan Police officers trawled through thousands of messages on encrypted communication service EncroChat.
They showed Harding and Kharouti planning to arm the hitman with a gun and ammunition for the “full M” – a murder.
The data came from French police who broke the encryption code to the service favoured by the criminal underworld.
Other messages showed the defendants discussing violence against anyone tempted to speak to the police about their drug business.
In one message, Harding said: “Bro u just have to know where their nan lives. They all love their nans. Then when they act up they know granny gonna get one in the head lol. Keeps them in check.”
In turn, Kharouti had threatened to arrange to “get a prisoner’s head bust open” if he talked to the police.
At the time, Harding, who claimed to be a high-end watch sales executive, was living in luxury in Dubai, staying in five-star hotels and driving Bugatti and Lamborghini sports cars.
Video footage released by the police showed the moment he was arrested at Geneva airport in Switzerland on December 27 2021 and extradited to the UK.
Kharouti was extradited from Turkey on 25 June 2024.