A Liverpool drug dealer planned to blast the legs of three people with a shotgun in retribution attacks.

Michael Riccio, 37, used the encrypted communications platform EncroChat to discuss buying and selling firearms with criminal contacts.

Riccio, who used the handle ‘Leadfern’ on the platform, told one contact: “Am trying to get 3 shottis if can help, going leg 3ppl.”

Riccio added he had a Glock but it would be a “waste” to use it “legging someone” because law enforcement could potentially use clues from the crime scene to trace the gun and shooter.

Today, at Liverpool Crown Court, Riccio was convicted of a range of firearms charges.

He had already admitted using the Leadfern handle to supply heroin and cocaine in 2020 but claimed other members of his organised crime group had used the handset to trade firearms.

The jury heard that in an EncroChat conversation on 18 April 2020, Leadfern told a contact he had sold a ‘sprayer’ – an automatic firearm – and asks the contact to chase the £3,000 he is owed for the gun.

Just 20 seconds later Leadfern told the contact he is “doing some bots” which means selling heroin.

Riccio, of Ambleside Road, Allerton, Liverpool, also had EncroChat conversations with other contacts where he talked of buying and selling semi-automatic pistols such as Glocks and a CZ.

In one conversation, Leadfern spoke of wanting to buy back “one or two” firearms he had sold to a contact.

But the contact said “no mate” and that he had sold them “all over the place” and “could do load more if u ever get again”.

At the end of this conversation, Leadfern – having spoken about guns – offers to let the contact know when he gets some cocaine.

Riccio used the Leadfern handle to send a selfie showing he had lost a tooth.

He also sent messages containing his mother’s address and an image of his feet sticking out of his bed. When he was arrested at home, the bedroom in the photo matched his own. He also received messages from contacts marking the anniversary of his father’s death.

And he told one EncroChat user he had amassed £2.5m in old £20 notes and wanted to change them for new ones. EncroChat was taken down in 2020 and the NCA leads the UK law enforcement response under Operation Venetic.

Riccio was arrested by National Crime Agency officers on 30 June 2020 on suspicion of committing drugs offences.

He was released under investigation and charged after being arrested again on 24 October 2023 by Merseyside Police specialist firearms officers.

He will return to court to be sentenced on 5 July.

Charles Lee, NCA acting branch manager, said: “Riccio is an extremely dangerous offender who the evidence showed was actively plotting to shoot three people.

“The Operation Venetic data has been instrumental in bringing to justice a very large number of criminals who have endangered our communities by trading firearms and class A drugs.

“The NCA works closely with partners such as Merseyside Police and international law enforcement to combat those threats to the UK.”

Operation Venetic has been the UK’s deepest ever penetration of organised crime groups.

So far, more than 1,600 offenders have been convicted and there are more suspects in the legal and judicial systems.

In total, more than 3,300 arrests have been made and more than 2,000 suspects charged in the UK.

Over 10,700 years of sentences have been given to offenders.

Drugs seizures include nearly six-and-a-half tonnes of cocaine, more than three tonnes of heroin and over twenty tonnes of cannabis.

One-hundred-and-seventy-three firearms have been taken off UK streets, along with almost 3,500 rounds of ammunition and more than £84m has been seized from organised crime groups. Over 200 threats to life were averted.

These figures represent the collective efforts of the NCA, UK police forces, Regional Organised Crime Units, Border Force, HM Revenue and Customs and crucially the Crown Prosecution Service.

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A corrupt former border officer from Kent has been sentenced after supplying class A drugs, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency.

Gareth Glynn Davies, 44, of Cleves Way, Ashford, was arrested in January 2020 by officers from the NCA’s Anti-Corruption Unit, in an operation supported by Border Force.

Davies, who worked as a field intelligence officer for Border Force at Folkestone at the time, became subject of an investigation after information was passed to the NCA that he may be involved in drug supply.

He was put under surveillance in late 2019. The investigation included the use of surveillance and a range of undercover tactics.

Over the coming weeks, he had a number of meetings with a contact, who he arranged to sell drugs to.

On 21 January 2020 he supplied four pills to the contact as a taster, with a promise of 5,000 more to follow.

Following the handover, Davies was arrested. Searches of his car and home address led to the recovery of a lock knife, rambo knife, machete, two knuckle dusters and a baton that should have been returned when he left the Prison Service.

He was subsequently charged with two drug supply offences, and dismissed from his role at Border Force.

Davies pleaded guilty on 15 April 2024 to both counts on the indictment. He was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court today to five years and 11 months.

Dave Rock, from the NCA’s Anti-Corruption Unit, said:

“It is a priority for the NCA to tackle insider threat and corruption at the border, and we work extremely closely with our colleagues at Border Force every day to prevent illegal drugs entering the UK.

“Davies thought he was beyond the reach of the law, willingly disclosing information that revealed his criminality.

“The class A drugs trade has a devastating impact on communities across the country, and Davies’ conviction today is a reminder to anyone involved that all those who play a part in it, however large or small, will face justice.”

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Three people who sent crystal meth to Australia, where it would have been worth up to £4.3 million at street level, have been jailed.

Yvonne Stewart, 55, from Croydon, and Kent men Kevin Filkins, 54, from Sevenoaks, and Robert Hamilton, 53, from Orpington, were convicted for their roles in a drug trafficking operation in January 2023 following an investigation by the Organised Crime Partnership (OCP) – a joint National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service unit.

After 24 kilograms of crystal meth (methamphetamine) was seized in Australia, the country’s Border Force and the Australian Federal Police established that the shipment had come from the UK.

Pictured: Yvonne Stewart, Kevin Filkins and Robert Hamilton

OCP investigators discovered that the drugs had been sent from Croydon on 25 June 2021, with CCTV images identifying Stewart, who was working in the cargo sector at the time. The images also captured a man, subsequently identified as Filkins, sending a shipment labelled ‘two glass Buddhas’ to New South Wales, Australia.

Stewart was responsible for the security inspection of the item. The package did not contain anything except the drugs, which were not concealed, proving Stewart had not checked the contents.

Phone records showed that, at key times, Stewart had been on the phone to Hamilton, who in turn had been in touch with Filkins. Hamilton acted as the middle man, putting Filkins in touch with Stewart who could facilitate the exportation of the drugs as a corrupt insider. Filkins’ phone, and his vehicle, were also found to have travelled from his home address to the vicinity of the cargo centre the same morning.

OCP investigators also identified that Stewart, Filkins and Hamilton had previously sent two other shipments to Australia on 2 and 24 June 2021.

The named senders on all three shipments were individuals who had their passports stolen. One of the consignments was paid for using a card registered to one of those individuals. This card, along with one of the stolen passports, were found in a search of Filkins’ home.

Filkins, Stewart and Hamilton were convicted on 13 January 2023 after a trial at Croydon Crown Court. They were sentenced today, 31 May 2024, respectively to 12 years, 12 years and 13 years and six months today at the same court.

Richard Smith, from the Organised Crime Partnership, said: “This organised crime group sought to make huge profits by trafficking dangerous drugs to Australia. They used Stewart’s inside knowledge of the cargo industry to try to ensure their shipments made it overseas.

“We worked closely with the Australian Federal Police to dismantle this criminal supply chain and protect the public in both countries from the impact of the illegal drugs trade.”

Detective Superintendent Callum Hughes, AFP Senior Officer in London, said: « This outcome should serve as a warning to those who seek to undertake this type of criminal activity; the risk of lengthy imprisonment far outweighs the short term benefits of your actions.

« The AFP through its officers based in London has an excellent relationships with UK law enforcement agencies such as the NCA and the chances of any group or individual being identified and prosecuted for this type of criminal behaviour has never been higher. »

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Pablo Q., considerado por la UCO el objetivo principal de la operación Halia, está de vuelta en las Rías Baixas.

Se le atribuyen grandes alijos en velero pero el único que fue registrado estaba aparentemente vacío.

La Justicia española sigue excarcelando a presuntos capos descubiertos tras la desencriptación de las comunicaciones.

Fuente y mucho mas

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Sur l’autoroute A9, aux portes ouest de Montpellier : environ 70 kilos de cannabis ont été saisis à la barrière du péage de Saint-Jean-de-Védas, lors d’un contrôle par les douaniers.

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Les 24,5 kilos de cocaïne étaient dissimulés dans des chaussures et des sacs à main.

Ils ont été saisies par les éléments de la subdivision commerciale de Douala-Aéroport, dans la capitale économique du Cameroun.

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Au terme de ces quatre jours d’opération, 23 personnes ont été interpellées. Les gendarmes ont réalisé une dizaine de perquisitions, pendant lesquelles 16 armes ont été saisies ainsi que 13 kilos de cannabis, 600 grammes de cocaïne, 15 véhicules et 12.000 euros en liquide.

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C’est le Figaro qui nous rapporte le communiqué des forces armées qui précise l’opération qui a été réalisée le 22 mai par l’équipage de la frégate Ventôse «sur la base d’informations transmises par la National Crime Agency (NCA) britannique et l’agence anti-drogue américaine (DEA)» en association avec l’office anti-stupéfiants français OFAST.

Après l’avoir détecté grâce à un avion Falcon 50 de la Marine nationale basé en Guyane, les militaires ont «procédé à l’arraisonnement du navire de pêche sans pavillon et à la saisie de 63 ballots et quatre pains de cocaïne, soit 1.472 kg».

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En zona rural del municipio de San Cayetano, el Ejército y la Policía ubicaron un ‘mega laboratorio’ para producir clorhidrato de cocaína, en donde fueron destruidos nueve de ellos.

El coronel Rodolfo Pérez, comandante del Batallón de Infantería N13, le dijo a La FM de RCN Radio que « los soldados y policías llegaron hasta la vereda Ayacucho, en donde hallaron nueve estructuras rudimentarias con más de 280 kilogramos de clorhidrato de cocaína, más de 50 kilogramos de pasta base de coca, insumos líquidos, insumos sólidos y abundantes elementos utilizados en la producción de drogas ».

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Les barils remplis de mélasse chimique passeraient certainement inaperçus parmi les dépôts sauvages, qui font partie du décor, dans le quartier de Bruxelles-Midi. C’est ce qu’a dû se dire l’homme qui a décidé, le 23 novembre 2020, d’abandonner là trente-deux bidons de déchets provenant de la fabrication de drogue de synthèse. Soigneusement répartis sur quatre palettes, ils y sont restés plusieurs jours, sur une bande de stationnement de la rue Memling, à Anderlecht, avant que la police ne tombe dessus.

Verdict de l’analyse labo : de la méthamphétamine.

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Una operación de la Policía Nacional de Colombia sirvió para detener a alias Rayo, considerado líder del grupo criminal La Terraza. El arresto tuvo lugar en un apartamento de su propiedad en Envigado, a las afueras de Medellín.

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Les autorités irakiennes ont annoncé mardi la saisie de 2,5 millions de comprimés de captagon, alors que le pays est aux prises avec un commerce en plein essor de cette drogue de la famille des amphétamines.

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Les informations transmises par la direction nationale du renseignement des enquêtes douanières (DNRED) dans le cadre d’une collaboration avec les autorités espagnoles et colombiennes, en association avec l’office anti-stupéfiants (Ofast) ont permis la saisie le mercredi 15 mai par la frégate de surveillance Ventôse de 2.430 kg de cocaïne sur un navire de pêche, dans l’océan Atlantique.

L’opération a été menée à 820 nautique (environ 1 500 km), au nord-est de la Martinique.

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Monsieur Le ministre de la Justice, Garde des Sceaux et Monsieur le Directeur de l’Administration Pénitentiaire,

Le drame du 14 mai qui a coûté la vie à Fabrice et Arnaud et blessés grièvement Nicolas, Arnault et Damien est toujours très présent dans les esprits.

Après la sidération, la consternation, la colère et l’immense tristesse de toute la famille pénitentiaire, voilà que les médias font d’étonnantes révélations avec, à la clé, une question qui hante tous les personnels pénitentiaires :

• Qui savait pour les écoutes ?

• Qui savait pour l’achat d’armes automatiques ?

• Qui savait que ce détenu était à la tête d’un important réseau de trafic de drogues ?

• Qui savait que ce détenu n’était pas un petit voyou, mais bel et bien un gros trafiquant avec des moyens importants ?

La liste des questions est longue et non exhaustive. Mais ce qui est aujourd’hui évident c’est que :

• Ce détenu n’aurait jamais dû être incarcéré à Évreux !

• Ce détenu aurait dû être inscrit au fichier des DPS !

• Quelqu’un a délibérément dissimulé des informations capitales !

• Ce matin du 14 mai, nos collègues, nos camarades ont été sciemment envoyés à l’abattoir !

Force Ouvrière Justice exige que toute la lumière soit faite afin de comprendre et d’établir les responsabilités de chacun.

Monsieur le directeur de l’administration pénitentiaire, il semble que vos services n’avaient aucune connaissance de tous ces éléments. Si tel est le cas, il faut publiquement le faire savoir et exiger la vérité afin de savoir qui savait et n’a rien fait !

Monsieur le ministre de la Justice, si la DAP n’était pas informée, il vous appartient de saisir votre homologue de l’intérieur pour savoir à qui les policiers en charge de ce dossier ont transmis ces éléments et dans quelle temporalité. Ceci afin de pouvoir établir si, délibérément et en toute connaissance du profil de ce détenu, quelqu’un a caché ces informations et laissé nos collègues se diriger, ce 14 mai, vers un destin tragique.

Monsieur le ministre de la Justice, Monsieur Le Directeur de l’administration pénitentiaire, Force Ouvrière Justice exige des réponses rapides à toutes ces questions.

Si perdre la vie dans l’exercice de nos missions est malheureusement un risque inhérent aux missions des agents des forces de sécurité, perdre la vie parce que certains savaient, mais n’ont rien dit est en revanche absolument inacceptable.

Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le ministre de la Justice, Garde des Sceaux et Monsieur Le Directeur de l’Administration Pénitentiaire, l’expression de ma très haute considération.

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Et leur message est on ne peut plus clair : ils appellent la France à prendre des mesures d’urgence pour ne pas se retrouver d’ici quelques années dans la même situation qu’au Mexique, où les violences liées aux cartels de la drogue ont fait plus de 450 000 morts en 20 ans. L’un des magistrats mexicains, en visite au parquet de Paris le 14 mai dernier, a estimé que l’attaque mortelle du fourgon de Mohamed Amra, montrait bien que forces de l’ordre et organisations criminelles ne jouent pas à armes égales.

Modifier la loi pour lutter contre le narcotrafic

Il conseille à ses homologues français de mettre plus de moyens humains mais aussi de modifier la loi pour mieux lutter contre le narcotrafic. Selon ces professionnels, la France est à un seuil pour prendre des mesures et ne pas commettre les mêmes erreurs : « Les crimes organisés s’internationalisent, se globalisent. Nos systèmes pénaux garantissent les droits et libertés des personnes, mais il faudrait aussi organiser la manière de travailler contre le crime organisé. Au Mexique, il y a des menaces de mort, qui se traduisent par des actes, cela modifie la manière de travailler : il faut protéger les magistrats. La France peut encore proposer des modifications législatives et donner plus de pouvoir aux parquets, à la police et aux juges pour intervenir de manière efficace. Des peines plus fortes sont nécessaires« , peut-on ainsi lire via un post LinkedIn du Parquet de Paris.

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