Gang rented plush home for massive gun-run plot
CRIMINAL SCHEME WAS BIGGEST EVER SEEN BY UK LAW ENFORCEMENT
A CRIME gang responsible for the biggest gun running plot ever countered by UK law enforcement operated its main stash house from a plush residential development.
A property in the Cotton Field Wharf plot at Ancoats Marina was rented out to store guns, ammunition,, drugs and ‘vast’ amounts of cash.
Adrian Gonzalez, 33, the gangster in charge of the stash house, has now been jailed for 25 years. The gang’s ringleader, Omar Malik, was previously jailed for 38 years while four other conspirators were also handed lengthy prison sentences.
A judge at Manchester Crown Court said the gang were responsible for criminality on an ‘exceptional scale.’ They were behind the supply of cocaine worth £70m, and sold 48 Skorpion machine pistols to other gangsters across the UK and Ireland.
“This trade in guns and ammunition, Mr Gonzalez, was described by an expert in this field as being amongst the very highest level of criminal firearm trafficking ever encountered by law enforcement in the United Kingdom,” Judge John Potter told Gonzalez, who he labelled a ‘determined’ and ‘professional criminal.’
“You proved willing to be active in a trade, which on any view, causes misery to many within our communities. You knew and appreciated this harm arising from your actions. You were inspired by nothing more than greed and selfishness, in my judgement, to sacrifice the welfare of countless others, with a view to make you very rich indeed.”
The members of the gang used encrypted EncroChat phones, believing the devices allowed them to commit crime with impunity. But European law enforcement penetrated the system and UK police were handed damning messages which implicated them.
Gonzalez, of City Road East, Manchester, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess firearms with intent to endanger life, and conspiring to supply cocaine, MDMA and amphetamine.
Previously Omar Malik, 33, of St Mary’s Parsonage, Manchester city centre, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess firearm or ammunition with intent to endanger life; conspiracy to supply cocaine; conspiracy to supply MDMA; and conspiracy to supply amphetamine. He was sentenced to 38 years in prison.
Daniel Gibbons, 39, of Wordsworth Road, Reddish, Stockport, was found guilty of conspiring to possess a firearm or ammunition with intent to endanger life; conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to supply amphetamine. He was found not guilty of conspiring to supply MDMA. He was sentenced to 28 years.
Daniel Waters, 41, of Broom Avenue, Reddish, Stockport, was found guilty of conspiring to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was sentenced to 26-and-a-half years in prison.
Sean Hogan, 40, of West Park, Denton, was found guilty of conspiring to supply firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life; and guilty of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and ketamine. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
Andrew Cooney, 39, of Oakfield Close, Alderley Edge, was found guilty of conspiring to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was found not guilty of conspiring to supply amphetamine. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison.
Conor Sandlan, 32, of Redfearn Wood, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess firearm or ammunition with intent to endanger life; conspiracy to supply cocaine; conspiracy to supply MDMA, and conspiracy to supply amphetamine. He was sentenced to 30-and-a-half years in prison.