Salford Shoot-Out Gang Busted in Major EncroChat Sting
Seven men involved in a violent gang feud in Salford have been slammed with hefty jail terms after pleading guilty in a massive police crackdown. Their crimes stemmed from Operation Venetic, the UK’s response to the downfall of encrypted messaging platform EncroChat, which criminals used to coordinate shootings, drug deals, and gun trafficking.
Shootings Spark Revenge Plot
On 3 April 2020, Brandon Moore, 24, and Jordan Waring, 24, survived a brazen shooting in Kersal, Salford. Not long after, they teamed up with accomplice Umair Zaheer, 34, plotting a revenge attack. Zaheer fired off a chilling EncroChat message instructing them to “get a location for the target ‘and we will end it’.”
Waring and Moore’s phone sent messages like: “Oh yes he’s a dead man.” Zaheer, using the alias ‘Assasin’s Creed,’ then offered a deadly arsenal to fellow gangster Bilal Khan (‘Legend Killer’), including AK47 rifles, Skorpion and Uzi machine guns. manchester-crown-court/" title="Manchester Crown Court" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="804">Manchester Crown Court heard it was “everything an assassin might want.”
Encrypted Chats Expose Deadly Gun Smuggling Operation
International law enforcement cracked EncroChat encryption early in 2020. The National Crime Agency (NCA) uncovered the gang’s revenge plots, firearms deals, and drug trafficking. Evidence was passed to Greater Manchester Police, who launched an investigation leading to multiple charges.
One key player, Robert Brazendale, 34, acted as the gang’s trusted quartermaster and courier, driving a red Citroen van to deliver AK47s and other weapons. On 15 April, he exchanged an AK47 for £10,500 — the weapon was later found by police near Wigan.
Later that day, Brazendale cycled to a car park in Warrington to hand over a deadly package of Uzi and Skorpion machine guns, a Taurus revolver, and 300 rounds of ammo for £37,000 to Hitesh Patel, 27. Patel then smuggled the haul to London, where police recovered the guns hidden in a false wall days later.
Gang Members Face Heavy Sentences
- Umair Zaheer: 25 years
- Bilal Khan: 10 years, 8 months
- Hitesh Patel: 7 years, 5 months
- Robert Brazendale: 11 years, 3 months
- Brandon Moore: 11 years, 5 months
- Jordan Waring: 8 years, 7 months
- Louis Coleman: 6 years, 9 months
Zaheer also tried to ditch his phone fleeing officers, while Brazendale got caught in Spain following an international manhunt.
Neil Gardner, NCA operations manager, said: “These were some of the most lethal weapons taken off the streets. Their power to fire multiple rounds per second could have caused devastation. Thanks to our partners, we’ve saved lives and taken serious crime off our roads.”
Detective Constable Steven Walker added: “This gang was a huge threat to Salford. Their weapons and plans could have ended lives. The community can now breathe easier knowing they’re behind bars.”
This crackdown shows the power of smashing encrypted criminal networks to stop organised crime before it wreaks havoc.
