Wolverhampton Gun and Drug Dealer Busted After Phone Chats Exposed
A Wolverhampton man has been nailed for trading firearms and kilos of class A drugs after police cracked his encrypted phone messages. Max Williams, who thought he was flying under the radar using the secretive EncroChat service, now faces jail following a major sting by the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU).
Encrypted Chats Blow Their Cover
Williams believed EncroChat made him untouchable, but undercover cops had other ideas. EncroChat, a messaging platform favoured by criminals, was cracked during a European law enforcement operation. The chats, part of Operation Target targeting serious criminals, revealed Williams brokering semi-automatic and automatic guns, ammo, and hefty amounts of cocaine, heroin, MDMA, and cannabis.
Williams frequently messaged a man named Daniel Morgan, aka Noisy Jade, trading drugs and guns in large quantities.
Cash, Cocaine, and Guns Seized in Raids
Police arrested Morgan at his Birmingham pad in December 2020, seizing heroin and cocaine worth over £5,000 plus £85,000 in cash. Williams was picked up the next day at his home with multiple phones confiscated. Among the evidence were photos of a semi-automatic pistol swapped for around £15,000 and a kilo of cocaine stamped “Paris.”
Guilty Verdict After Four-Week Trial
Williams, 35, denied the charges at Birmingham Crown Court but was found guilty of dealing class A and B drugs along with firearms. Morgan, 39, already pleaded guilty. Both await sentencing on December 19.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Cooke said: “This complex investigation has smashed a supply chain for guns and drugs. The weapons sold by these men could have caused real harm, and the drugs they supplied have brought misery to communities. Their own words and actions secured their conviction. We remain committed to removing guns and drugs from our streets as Operation Target continues.”
