‘Assassin’s Creed’ gun runner who sold Uzis and AK47s to gangsters jailed for 25 years over plot to murder rival
A GUN runner calling himself Assasin’s Creed who sold Uzis and AK47s to gangsters has been jailed for 25 years over a plot to murder his rival.
Dad-of-three Umair Zaheer, 34, was caught after posing up for photos with an AK47.
Police were able to track him down after hacking his encrypted communications platform EncroChat.
Detectives later recovered a number of weapons and ammunition from a property in Brent, London including AK47 assault rifles, Skorpion and Uzi machine guns – “everything an assassin might want”, Manchester Crown Court heard.
It is believed that the guns were all imported from the Balkans, the Mirror reported.
Tim Storrie QC told Manchester crown court: “The weapons included combat and assault weaponry, designed to inflict catastrophic damage.”
Zaheer, of Eccles, Manchester, admitted conspiring to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life in relation to the revenge shooting as well as a separate count of possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.
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Police also arrested his pals Jordan Waring, 23, and Brandon Moore, 24, in Salford, as well as Bilal Khan, 33, and Hitesh Patel, 27.
They all pleaded guilty to firearms offences.
Meanwhile, Robert Brazendale, 34 who worked as a courier for Zaheer, admitted conspiring to transfer prohibited firearms.
Neil Gardner, NCA operations manager, said: “The weapons we took off the street and out of the crime groups’ hands were some of the most lethal around with a truly devastating capability.
“In seizing these weapons which are capable of firing multiple rounds per second, we have saved lives and protected the public.
“The offenders thought they were safe using encrypted comms, but working with the Crown Prosecution Service and Greater Manchester Police, we built a solid case that resulted in the men admitting their involvement.
“We will continue to do everything we can with partners at home and abroad to prevent organised crime groups trafficking firearms.”