Indian-Origin Man Receives 20-Year Prison Sentence in UK for Criminal Conspiracy
An Indian-origin man has been handed a substantial prison sentence of twenty years by a court in north-west England for his involvement in a serious criminal conspiracy encompassing firearms and drug offences. The case highlights the ongoing international efforts to combat organized crime networks operating through encrypted communication channels.
Details of the Conviction and Sentencing
Naginder Gill, aged 47, was convicted alongside two other individuals following an extensive investigation into their criminal activities using the encrypted communications platform known as EncroChat. The sentencing hearing took place at Bolton Crown Court on Thursday, where the severity of the crimes was reflected in the lengthy prison terms imposed.
Carl Ian Jones, 59, received the harshest sentence of thirty years imprisonment, while Harly Wise, 29, was sentenced to twenty-five years behind bars. Gill, who operated under the EncroChat handle "indianocean," received his twenty-year sentence for his participation in the conspiracy.
Nature of the Criminal Activities
The United Kingdom's National Crime Agency revealed that the trio had been engaged in discussions concerning the trafficking of military-grade weapons. These conversations were uncovered through intercepted communications on the EncroChat platform, which law enforcement had managed to penetrate as part of a broader investigation.
Jon Hughes, branch commander at the National Crime Agency, emphasized the danger these individuals posed to society. "These men are extremely dangerous offenders, and the streets are safer now that they're in prison," Hughes stated, as reported by PTI news agency.
Specific Weapons and Transactions
The court proceedings revealed disturbing details about the weapons involved in the conspiracy:
- Jones attempted to broker a deal involving an AR15 assault rifle along with fifty rounds of 7.62mm ammunition
- Jones asked an associate to store firearms he had concealed at a property he owned in Mallorca, Spain
- Jones and Wise discussed trading several other weapons including AK47 rifles and an Uzi submachine gun
- In May 2020, Wise arranged the sale of two 9mm handguns and fifty rounds of ammunition to an EncroChat contact
The handgun transaction was scheduled to occur near Eltham in south London. Two additional men connected to this specific transaction were subsequently sentenced to twelve years and six years in prison respectively.
Drug Trafficking Operations
Beyond the firearms conspiracy, investigators discovered extensive drug trafficking activities through their analysis of thousands of lines of EncroChat data linked to Jones and Wise. The communications detailed the regular movement of both Class A and Class B controlled substances.
Both men acted as facilitators within the drug distribution network, transporting drugs to various contacts and profiting from the price differential between purchase and sale amounts. This dual involvement in both weapons and narcotics trafficking underscored the comprehensive criminal nature of their operations.
Individual Roles and Admissions
Each defendant played distinct roles in the criminal enterprise:
- Naginder Gill, from the West Midlands region, admitted his role in a conspiracy to supply a range of illegal drugs
- Carl Ian Jones, from Greater Manchester who used the EncroChat handle "stalehead," was convicted at trial of multiple drugs and firearms offences
- Harly Wise, who operated under the EncroChat handles "bluffcheatah" and "hungrykiller," admitted to conspiring to kidnap in addition to later admitting to conspiracy to supply cocaine, cannabis, and methylamphetamine, as well as conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons
Operation Venetic and EncroChat Dismantling
The National Crime Agency confirmed that EncroChat was dismantled in 2020 as part of Operation Venetic, an NCA-led initiative targeting encrypted communication platforms used by criminal organizations. Evidence obtained through this groundbreaking operation exposed how dangerous offenders had been utilizing the encrypted platform to organize and coordinate serious criminal activities across international borders.
This case represents a significant victory for law enforcement agencies working to disrupt sophisticated criminal networks that leverage technology to evade detection while trafficking dangerous weapons and narcotics.
