Mexican drug lord EncroChat helped cops bust gun and weed operations

The discovery of thousands of messages, weapons hidden in a warehouse and a “Mexican drug lord” username helped police take down a pair of EncroChat scammers.

Najeef Saleem and Nahidul Monaf were first investigated by police in 2019. Detectives received further information to strengthen their case in 2020 when the National Crime Agency handed over thousands of EncroChat messages.

They were attributed to Saleem, who used the handle “Rafealcaroquintero” – a Mexican drug lord.

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One evening in October 2019, police raided a house on Kingsway in Cheadle and found two self-loading handguns and ammunition hidden in a garden shed.

Investigations quickly revealed that those living at the house were not involved in the conspiracy and that the gun actually belonged to Nahidul Monaf, who was doing construction work on their property at the time with his associate Saleem.

CCTV showed the pair accessing the shed several times before the raid, before forensic examinations uncovered crucial evidence linking Monaf and Saleem to the weapons.

Police returned to the Kingsway address on January 13 to carry out further searches. Inside the roof space, accessible through a hatch, another gun, more ammunition and a silencer were found.

As the investigation progressed, Greater Manchester Police were carrying out a simultaneous drug operation in Monaf and Saleem. After a period of surveillance, police raided several homes linked to the pair.

On 8 July 2020, Saleem was arrested at a property on Smallbrook Lane in Leigh. They found around £30,000 in cash, several mobile phones, documents and a set of keys linked to a property in Cheetham Hill.

A radio frequency detector was also erected. The devices are used by organized crime groups to determine if law enforcement is tracking their vehicles or mobile devices. Monaf was arrested at an address on Rita Ave in Moss Side where police discovered cannabis plants.

Establishments in Cheetham Hill were also attacked. Two large cannabis farms were found. Police said it was a “sophisticated set-up” with the use of high-tech and expensive equipment used to control the product – including dehumidifiers, a system of pipes, filters and a hose system.

Analysis of messages from April to June 2020 also revealed that Saleem regularly bought and supplied large quantities of class A and B drugs and was also involved in the supply and handling of firearms and ammunition through a criminal network of contacts established in the UK and abroad. .

The texts saw Saleem trying to buy bulk ammunition saying “250, 300, 500, as much as you can get” and “please I need it bad”.

Discussing the “sick sprayer” he had just bought, the conversations then detailed how two bullets would “do the job as long as they don’t miss”.

Copious messages were exchanged, including images of drugs, cash and firearms – and deals struck. Saleem boasted that he had obtained other high-powered firearms and hand grenades while conducting daily drug and cash collections.

On Thursday (May 9), Saleem and Monaf appeared at Manchester Crown Square Court to be sentenced after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing.

Najeef Saleem, 45, of Smallbrook Lane, Leigh, was jailed for 22 years. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life; conspiracy to supply cocaine; and conspiracy to supply cannabis.

Nahidul Monaf, 36, of Rita Ave, Moss Side, was jailed for 10 years. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life; and cannabis production.

Detective Sergeant Colin Shackleton of the Serious Organized Crime Group said: “This was clearly a sophisticated operation. Saleem and Monaf invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in their illicit enterprise through high-end technology and tracking devices and the use of encrypted phones, all of which promoted their criminal business and hid it from the police.

“The extent of their criminality should not be underestimated. They make huge profits from trading their deadliest goods with whoever will pay the price. Taking them off our streets will certainly have a damaging effect on the supply chain and every weapon we recover ., and every criminal we arrest is another potentially fatal incident stopped.

“We work tirelessly to tackle firearms crime and in the past year we have seen dozens of high-risk criminals in the upper echelons of organized crime jailed for almost 300 years, with gun recoveries and confiscations growing due to proactive operations like this.

“In this case and so many others, information from communities is crucial, so if you know where dangerous weapons are stored, carried or used, let us know and we will take positive action.”