Security
Met Police’s Victory Against Crime Group In UK
In a groundbreaking operation, the Metropolitan Police has successfully dismantled an organized crime group, leading to the conviction of 22 criminals who have been sentenced to a collective 160 years in the United Kingdom.
The Met’s Specialist Crime Command conducted a meticulous 15-month investigation into the criminal activities of a notorious gang involved in the supply of Class A drugs and firearms.
The operation resulted in the confiscation of a staggering 200 kilograms of drugs, firearms, ammunition, and significant amounts of cash.
The criminal gang, led by Ross Payton, strategically employed family and friends, including his sister Shainie Payton, her boyfriend Darren Goodge, uncle Lee Souter, cousin Jamie Dennison, and associate Reece Mort.
The gang’s reach extended across London, the Home Counties, and Scotland, utilizing a sophisticated fleet of vehicles equipped with hidden compartments for transporting illicit goods.
Detective Inspector Nikki Owen, leading the investigation, emphasized the profound impact on London’s drug supply and overall safety.
The comprehensive effort by officers not only resulted in the conviction of the core criminals but also identified and protected vulnerable individuals exploited by the gang.
On December 13, at Woolwich Crown Court, the remaining seven members of the gang received sentences totaling 90 years.
Their guilty pleas, backed by overwhelming evidence, underscored the success of the police operation. Throughout 2022, an additional 15 gang members were sentenced in separate hearings.
The key players, including Ross Payton, Shainie Payton, Darren Goodge, Lee Souter, Jamie Dennison, Reece Mort, and Alfie Malone, faced substantial prison terms for their roles in conspiracy, drug supply, and firearms-related offenses.
The Met Police’s commitment to dismantling the criminal network was evident in their persistence and diligence over the course of the investigation.
The operation commenced in March 2020, targeting the supply and distribution of Class A drugs in southeast London. Surveillance revealed a network operating from London to Scotland.
Alfie Malone’s arrest in September 2020 marked a pivotal moment, leading to subsequent arrests and the unraveling of the gang’s extensive criminal activities.
Analysis of Ross Payton’s phone revealed his central role as the OCG leader, orchestrating drug distribution and even conspiring to sell firearms.
Telegram messages exposed the distribution of 115 kilos of Class A drugs, valued at £3,450,000 in wholesale value.
The network’s transactions reached into the millions, spanning the UK.
Beyond the arrests, the investigation identified and supported three vulnerable individuals exploited by the gang. Lower-tier members were also convicted, ensuring a comprehensive disruption of the criminal enterprise.
The sentences handed down to various members, including those lower in the hierarchy, reflect the Met’s commitment to reducing crime and restoring trust within communities.
In addition to the core members, lower-tier individuals faced justice.
Taylor Plumb, Marshall Arthur, Martyn Savill, Ibrahim Saleh, Eddie Peacock, Channing Broderick, Mansur Mustapha, Jake Keys, Navid Jamshidi, Mark Sawyer, Robbie Asaw, Steven Boreham, John Andrews, Daniel Jarvis, and Charlie Keys all received sentences commensurate with their involvement in the criminal activities.
The suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in collaboration with the National Park Service, has arrested three persons over alleged illegal trade in endangered wildlife species in Abuja.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by NESREA’s Assistant Director of Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor.
The suspects, identified as Musa Usman, Samila Abdullahi, and Saidu Jagaban, were arrested in different parts of the country’s capital.
According to her, the suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
She stated that Usman and Abdullahi were found with 15 Senegalese parrots and one African grey parrot, while Jagaban was arrested for hawking three dead antelopes.
“The suspects were arrested in different parts of the city for the illegal sale of prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act,” the statement read in part.
“The trio is to remain in custody while investigation continues.”
NESREA Director-General, Innocent Barikor, reiterated that trafficking in endangered species remained a crime under Nigerian laws, and anyone caught culpable would be prosecuted accordingly.
Barikor emphasised on the need to protect endangered species, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
He added that all living things play different roles in ensuring biodiversity sustainability.
No fewer than 26 people lost their lives, with three others sustaining injuries, following an improvised explosive device (IED) detonation along the Rann–Kala Balge–Gamboru Ngala highway in Borno.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, several civilian vehicles travelling from Rann in Kala Balge LGA ran into a series of hidden explosives.
Makama said the incident occurred on Monday after the convoy veered into a zone where the IEDs had been strategically placed.
The publication said the IEDs were triggered by the movement of vehicles, adding that emergency personnel were swiftly deployed to evacuate victims and administer first aid.
“Security forces have since cordoned off the affected route and commenced clearance operations to ensure safety and prevent a repeat of the incident,” the report said.
“Those injured have been transferred to nearby hospitals where they are currently receiving medical attention.”
Last week, Mohammed Badaru, minister of defence, said President Bola Tinubu is committed to addressing the growing security challenges in Borno state.
The minister spoke about the administration’s commitment to meeting all operational needs of the troops to enhance security in the region.
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.