WhatsApp photo drug dealer caught by 'groundbreaking' work

A pioneering fingerprint technique used to convict a drugs gang from a
WhatsApp message "is the future" of how police approach evidence to
catch criminals.

An image of a man holding ecstasy tablets in his palm was found on the
mobile of someone arrested in Bridgend.

It was sent to South Wales Police's scientific support unit and helped
to secure 11 convictions.

These are believed to be the first convictions in Wales from
fingerprints taken from a photograph.

The unit's Dave Thomas described its use as "groundbreaking" and said
officers are now looking more closely at photographs on phones seized
for potential evidence.

'Ecstasy pills for sale' in WhatsApp message
Teens found selling drugs on Snapchat and Instagram
How drugs are offered on Instagram
He said: "It is an old-fashioned technique [fingerprinting], not new.

"Ultimately, beyond everything else, we took a phone and looked at
everything on it - we knew it had a hand with drugs on it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-43711477

--
David B.