A professional MMA fighter has been jailed for more than 15 years after an encrypted messaging platform exposed his secret role as a middleman in a high-level criminal network.
Pietro Menga, 36, known in the ring as ‘The Italian Stallion’, was brought down by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) as part of Operation Foam, an extensive investigation into organised crime following the takedown of Encrochat — a secure communications network once favoured by criminals.
Operating under the handle ‘wirelessshark’, Menga was found to have openly discussed large-scale drug transactions and firearms deals. Investigators linked him to the supply of up to £620,000 worth of cocaine and what authorities described as a record-breaking firearms conspiracy.
Double Life Unmasked
Menga, once celebrated for his skills in the octagon, led a dangerous double life. While building a following in mixed martial arts, he was simultaneously facilitating illicit deals for a well-established organised crime group. His Encrochat messages detailed negotiations for high-purity cocaine and the transfer of prohibited firearms, including automatic weapons.
He pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons.
Operation Foam: GMP’s Fight Against Organised Crime
Menga’s case is among the most high-profile outcomes of Operation Foam, GMP’s multi-agency crackdown on criminal activity uncovered through Encrochat evidence. Since the operation began, more than 300 arrests have been made, and over 1,000 years of jail time have been handed down across various cases.
Detective Chief Inspector Claire McGuire of GMP said:
“Menga used his profile to mask serious criminality. The evidence we recovered from Encrochat left no doubt about the scale of his involvement in drug trafficking and illegal firearms. His sentence sends a clear message: nobody is above the law, and those who engage in this kind of activity will be brought to justice.”
From Cage Fighter to Criminal
While Menga enjoyed notoriety and admiration in sporting circles, his dealings on Encrochat revealed a calculating and embedded figure in Manchester’s criminal underworld. His downfall follows that of several other Encrochat users now serving lengthy prison sentences.
He was sentenced to 15 years and three months in prison.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has praised the Encrochat operation as a landmark moment in UK law enforcement’s battle against serious and organised crime.
Anyone with information about criminal activity in their area is urged to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
