Carl Ian Jones, Harly Wise, and Naginder Gill plotted a range of firearms and drug offences using EncroChat
L-R: Harly Wise, Naginder Gill and Carl Ian Jones
Three ‘extremely dangerous’ drug dealers who discussed trading military grade weapons have been put behind bars.
Carl Ian Jones, Harly Wise, and Naginder Gill plotted a range of firearms and drug offences using EncroChat.
But their secret messages were exposed when the encrypted communications platform was taken down in 2020.
READ MORE: Thug went on the run after launching two ‘appalling’ attacks on woman
Jones, 59, tried to broker a deal with other criminals over an AR15 assault rifle, complete with 50 7.62mm bullets.
He also admitted hiding guns in a property he owned in Mallora as he asked a contact to store them for him as his girlfriend was ‘going mad’.
Jones and Wise also discussed trading firearms including AK47s and an Uzi submachine gun.
Wise brokered the sale of two 9mm handguns and 50 bullets to an EncroChat contact in May 2020, and agreed an exchange near Eltham, south London. Two men were later sentenced 12 years and six years in relation to this.
National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators waded through thousands of lines of data for both Jones and Wise relating to the daily movement of class A and B drugs.
It revealed the two men operated as facilitators, moving drugs to contacts for more money than they paid for them.
Jones, of Heath Court, Hale, Greater Manchester – who used the EncroChat handle ‘stalehead’ – was convicted at trial of a range of drugs and a firearms charges.
Wise, of Wyndham Road, Ealing, London, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine, cannabis, methylamphetamine and conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons.
The 29-year-old, who used the EncroChat handles ‘bluffcheatah’ and ‘hungrykiller’, also admitted conspiring to kidnap.
This charge was in relation to a discussion he had about snatching a rival drug dealer from Birmingham over a £350,000 debt.
In a message about the intended victim, Wise said he ‘can sleep mate u understand what I mean if u want’. He also attended a meeting in London’s Greenwich Park to discuss kidnap plans.
Meanwhile Gill, of Seymour Road, Oldbury, used the handle ‘indianocean’ and admitted conspiring to supply a range of drugs.
During a hearing at Bolton Crown Court on Thursday, January 29, Jones was jailed for 30 years, Wise for 25 years and Gill for 20 years.
Following the sentencing, NCA branch commander Jon Hughes said: “These men are extremely dangerous offenders and the streets are safer now they’re in prison.
“We’ve seen in recent years that entirely innocent victims can be tragically caught in the crossfire of feuding organised crime groups.
“Drugs and firearms crimes are often interconnected.
“The NCA will continue to work with partners at home and abroad to protect the public from these threats.”