Birmingham drugs gang that amassed firearms convicted

Danyal Aziz, Michael Earp and Nicole Rhone (left to right) were convicted after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court

Members of a drugs gang have been convicted over an operation that saw them amass firearms including a sub-machine gun for which ammunition was stored in a child's bedroom.

Danyal Aziz, 28, and Michael Earp, 32, used encrypted communications platform EncroChat to arrange buying and selling cocaine and heroin, investigators said.

The pair and Earp's cousin Nicole Rhone were found guilty of multiple crimes.

The Skorpion sub-machine gun was discovered at Rhone's home.

That and other firearms were bought by the Birmingham group to protect their drugs business from criminal competition, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

They used Encrochat in an attempt to hide their illegal activities from police but the NCA penetrated the communications platform in 2020.

It found chats which showed the group discussing their drug supply business and the use of weapons.

Bullets were found in a wardrobe in a child's bedroom at Rhone's home, the NCA said

In one message, Aziz discussed having a gun and bullets in his possession and using it against customers who owed him money, the NCA said.

Photos were found on his handset of bullets which could be used with the Skorpion gun while Earp was seen on CCTV footage collecting three pistols in Birmingham.

Aziz ran the group and told Earp to deliver drugs money, investigators said, while the guns and ammunition were stored at Rhone's home in Bordesley in the city.

A search of the property uncovered ammunition stored in a wardrobe in a child's bedroom.

A hidden space was additionally found behind the radio in the dashboard of Earp's vehicle when it was searched and traces of cocaine were found, investigators said.

A hidden space was discovered in Earp's car and traces of cocaine were found by the NCA

Aziz, 28, of Pelham Road, Stechford, and Earp, 32, of Pear Tree Road, Shard End, were found guilty of conspiracy charges to supply cocaine and heroin, plus firearms offences that included possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Rhone, 29, of Yardley Green Road, Bordesley, was found guilty of possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of prohibited ammunition.

The trio are to be sentenced at a future date at Birmingham Crown Court.