This is terrifying.
A cocaine and heroin importation gang armed themselves with hand grenades and were looking to recruit "lads who blow any c***s head off."
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday, that the two men organised their "very large scale and sophisticated nationwide drugs supply business" via encrypted communications platform EncroChat.
Another plot saw the two defendants consider hiring a recovery truck to tow a Mercedes Sprinter van with a hidden compartment inside. They also referred to using an accountant to set up businesses to "use and fold" in order to avoid paying VAT. Conversations also detailed Minards' involvement in the importation of both heroin and cocaine. In one exchange with the handle "AtomBar", he said he had the "main kid in Brazil as my contact" and boasted: "No one has got him, only me."
In total, Minards was evidenced to have agreed deals to supply a massive 1,235kg of cocaine, 89kg of heroin, 88.5kg of cannabis and 195l of amphetamine oil. Bradshaw was found to have discussed the trafficking of 1,067kg of cocaine, 175kg of heroin, 380.5kg of cannabis and 374l of amphetamine oil while Aboo was involved in the sale of 467kg of cocaine, 3kg of heroin and 60kg in cannabis as well as the transfer of monies totalling £764,000.
Aboo meanwhile was held by police at his home address on June 7 2022. He has three previous convictions for drug supply. "He was a man completely out of his depth and unable to operate at this level, failing to generate any personal profit and digging a bigger and bigger hole. This is a defendant lacking in the business brain this would require."This is a man who is sorry for what he has done and is determined to put it right. There is another side to Mr Bradshaw, a much more attractive side."
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