Latest news with #criminalGang
Arab News
14-07-2025
- Arab News
French prisoner who escaped in inmate's bag detained
LYON: A 20-year-old French prisoner who escaped last week in the luggage of his fellow inmate when he was released was arrested Monday near the eastern city of Lyon, prosecutors said. The man was arrested while emerging from a cellar early on Monday in Corbas near Lyon, they said, adding that his fellow prisoner accomplice had not yet been arrested. The prisoner escaped on Friday. He was serving time for murder as part of a criminal gang and breaching a weapons law.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Yahoo
Man created ‘assassination kits' in his home garden for criminal underworld
A criminal gang responsible for manufacturing and distributing "assassination kits" across the UK has been handed sentences totalling more than 60 years. Gary Hardy, 62, was identified as the seller of these deadly packages, which were produced in the garden of his co-conspirator, 64-year-old Ronald Knowles. Knowles was central to the operation, acquiring blank-firing handguns and ammunition, which he then converted into viable firearms. Each "kit" was meticulously prepared, containing a handgun, silencer, magazine, and ammunition, all carefully wrapped in a latex glove. Police confirmed that converted firearms linked to the gang have been recovered from eight different locations nationwide. Investigators believe at least 33 firearms were manufactured at Knowles's illicit factory, which is thought to be one of the largest of its kind in the East Midlands. The network's reach extended to serious criminals, with 65-year-old accomplice Steven Houston responsible for supplying the weapons. Among those who received the illicit firearms was 23-year-old drug dealer Jason Hill, who was convicted of murder last year. Hardy, of The Birches, Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, received a sentence of 23 years, while Knowles, of Milton Avenue, Alfreton, Derbyshire, was handed a 13-year-and-six-month sentence, and Houston, of Breach Oak Lane, Corley, near Coventry, was given 25 years in prison. Sentencing Hardy, Knowles and Houston, who sat side by side in the dock at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, Judge Mark Watson said: 'You were in business together. You brought your own set of skills and contacts to the enterprise. 'Each of you contributed in different but important ways. This was a large scale and highly sophisticated enterprise which involved a large number of weapons.' The judge said the operation started in at least November 2022 and told the court he is sure this was intended to continue for longer. The judge sentenced Hill, of Derby Road, Risley, Derbyshire, to serve four years consecutively to his life sentence for murder, and said: 'You are in a different and unique position in that you were not part of the conspiracy I deal with – you were a customer of it. 'These guns were designed to kill. There is no evidence these weapons had been discharged by you.' Hardy, Knowles and Houston were charged with conspiring to sell a firearm, conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiring to convert a firearm. Hill was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Knowles and Hill admitted their crimes before Houston and Hardy were found guilty at a trial. Police stopped a vehicle in Gallows Lane in Measham, Leicestershire, in August 2023 and found a white box containing four firearms with Knowles's DNA on some of them. Nottinghamshire Police said when officers arrived at his property, they found him setting fire to evidence in his garden. Other weaponry was also seized from inside the address including crossbows, knives, axes, machetes, swords, gas powered weapons, airguns and ammunition, the force said. Abigail Joyce, prosecuting, said the weapon kits were distributed on a 'significant scale', and added: 'There was an expectation of substantial financial gain.' Ms Joyce told the court, which was attended by friends and family of the defendants: 'The prosecution contend that the three played leading roles in a long-standing conspiracy. 'The sale of assassination kits demonstrates they were only designed to be used for one purpose, i.e. the infliction of serious, and likely fatal, injuries.' Emma Goodall KC, defending Hardy, said his chronic health issues would make prison difficult and added that a custodial sentence would impact his wife. Defence barrister for Knowles, Balraj Bhatia KC, said the defendant was 'not the instigator' and is described by many as a 'caring, helpful, kind person that many in difficulties can turn to'. In a letter read out by Mr Bhatia, Knowles wrote: 'I have made my bed, now I must lie in it. I'm sorry for what I got up to. If I manage to come through my sentence, I promise you won't be hearing any more from me.' Gordon Cole KC, defending Houston, said his client has 'real, physical difficulties' and has shown a 'clear expression of remorse'. In a statement after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Adas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: 'These are ruthless individuals that have a complete disregard for human life. 'They were creating, packaging and distributing firearms, which would have led to devastating consequences had they been used in public. 'Each handgun had been threaded to fit a silencer, which allowed the gun to be used discreetly at close quarters, meaning any potential targets would be lucky to escape with their lives. 'The rounds of ammunition were converted in such a way that upon impact they expanded causing maximum damage to any target. 'Our team of detectives have now closed arguably one of the biggest firearm factories in the East Midlands and taken a large quantity of firearms off the streets. 'The full impact of this investigation will never be seen – that's because we are unable to count the number of lives we may have saved. 'If this operation had continued undetected, the strong likelihood is these weapons would have been used and people would have been killed or seriously harmed. 'To put this into context – considering that each assassination kit included 10 rounds of converted ammunition, the seizure of more than 800 blank firing rounds and nearly 800 lead pellets indicates that the group had the potential to supply up to 80 further firearms packages. 'So far, we have identified eight locations across the country where these specific converted firearms or ammunition have been seized. 'The majority were in the West Midlands. This was therefore a well-established and far-reaching criminal enterprise. 'These criminals have shown no remorse. They provided no comment in interview and have no care whatsoever for the damage they were willing to inflict on others. 'Their motives are likely to have been financial, providing weapons to criminals who in turn were using them to protect their drug operations. 'They have now paid the full price for their actions by being handed lengthy prison sentences. 'Hardy is likely to spend the remainder of his life behind bars, which sends out a clear message to those willing to get involved in this level of criminality.'
The Independent
27-06-2025
- The Independent
Man created ‘assassination kits' in his home garden for criminal underworld
A criminal gang responsible for manufacturing and distributing "assassination kits" across the UK has been handed sentences totalling more than 60 years. Gary Hardy, 62, was identified as the seller of these deadly packages, which were produced in the garden of his co-conspirator, 64-year-old Ronald Knowles. Knowles was central to the operation, acquiring blank-firing handguns and ammunition, which he then converted into viable firearms. Each "kit" was meticulously prepared, containing a handgun, silencer, magazine, and ammunition, all carefully wrapped in a latex glove. Police confirmed that converted firearms linked to the gang have been recovered from eight different locations nationwide. Investigators believe at least 33 firearms were manufactured at Knowles's illicit factory, which is thought to be one of the largest of its kind in the East Midlands. The network's reach extended to serious criminals, with 65-year-old accomplice Steven Houston responsible for supplying the weapons. Among those who received the illicit firearms was 23-year-old drug dealer Jason Hill, who was convicted of murder last year. Hardy, of The Birches, Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, received a sentence of 23 years, while Knowles, of Milton Avenue, Alfreton, Derbyshire, was handed a 13-year-and-six-month sentence, and Houston, of Breach Oak Lane, Corley, near Coventry, was given 25 years in prison. Sentencing Hardy, Knowles and Houston, who sat side by side in the dock at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, Judge Mark Watson said: 'You were in business together. You brought your own set of skills and contacts to the enterprise. 'Each of you contributed in different but important ways. This was a large scale and highly sophisticated enterprise which involved a large number of weapons.' The judge said the operation started in at least November 2022 and told the court he is sure this was intended to continue for longer. The judge sentenced Hill, of Derby Road, Risley, Derbyshire, to serve four years consecutively to his life sentence for murder, and said: 'You are in a different and unique position in that you were not part of the conspiracy I deal with – you were a customer of it. 'These guns were designed to kill. There is no evidence these weapons had been discharged by you.' Hardy, Knowles and Houston were charged with conspiring to sell a firearm, conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiring to convert a firearm. Hill was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Knowles and Hill admitted their crimes before Houston and Hardy were found guilty at a trial. Police stopped a vehicle in Gallows Lane in Measham, Leicestershire, in August 2023 and found a white box containing four firearms with Knowles's DNA on some of them. Nottinghamshire Police said when officers arrived at his property, they found him setting fire to evidence in his garden. Other weaponry was also seized from inside the address including crossbows, knives, axes, machetes, swords, gas powered weapons, airguns and ammunition, the force said. Abigail Joyce, prosecuting, said the weapon kits were distributed on a 'significant scale', and added: 'There was an expectation of substantial financial gain.' Ms Joyce told the court, which was attended by friends and family of the defendants: 'The prosecution contend that the three played leading roles in a long-standing conspiracy. 'The sale of assassination kits demonstrates they were only designed to be used for one purpose, i.e. the infliction of serious, and likely fatal, injuries.' Emma Goodall KC, defending Hardy, said his chronic health issues would make prison difficult and added that a custodial sentence would impact his wife. Defence barrister for Knowles, Balraj Bhatia KC, said the defendant was 'not the instigator' and is described by many as a 'caring, helpful, kind person that many in difficulties can turn to'. In a letter read out by Mr Bhatia, Knowles wrote: 'I have made my bed, now I must lie in it. I'm sorry for what I got up to. If I manage to come through my sentence, I promise you won't be hearing any more from me.' Gordon Cole KC, defending Houston, said his client has 'real, physical difficulties' and has shown a 'clear expression of remorse'. In a statement after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Adas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: 'These are ruthless individuals that have a complete disregard for human life. 'They were creating, packaging and distributing firearms, which would have led to devastating consequences had they been used in public. 'Each handgun had been threaded to fit a silencer, which allowed the gun to be used discreetly at close quarters, meaning any potential targets would be lucky to escape with their lives. 'The rounds of ammunition were converted in such a way that upon impact they expanded causing maximum damage to any target. 'Our team of detectives have now closed arguably one of the biggest firearm factories in the East Midlands and taken a large quantity of firearms off the streets. 'The full impact of this investigation will never be seen – that's because we are unable to count the number of lives we may have saved. 'If this operation had continued undetected, the strong likelihood is these weapons would have been used and people would have been killed or seriously harmed. 'To put this into context – considering that each assassination kit included 10 rounds of converted ammunition, the seizure of more than 800 blank firing rounds and nearly 800 lead pellets indicates that the group had the potential to supply up to 80 further firearms packages. 'So far, we have identified eight locations across the country where these specific converted firearms or ammunition have been seized. 'The majority were in the West Midlands. This was therefore a well-established and far-reaching criminal enterprise. 'These criminals have shown no remorse. They provided no comment in interview and have no care whatsoever for the damage they were willing to inflict on others. 'Their motives are likely to have been financial, providing weapons to criminals who in turn were using them to protect their drug operations. 'They have now paid the full price for their actions by being handed lengthy prison sentences. 'Hardy is likely to spend the remainder of his life behind bars, which sends out a clear message to those willing to get involved in this level of criminality.'
Malay Mail
27-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Two charged with murder after deadly wedding shooting in southern France, bride killed and groom wounded
MARSEILLE, June 27 — Two men have been charged with murder as part of a criminal gang after a 27-year-old bride was shot dead at a wedding party in southeastern France, prosecutors said. Gunmen opened fire last Sunday at a wedding celebration in Goult, a hilltop village overlooking lavender fields, in what sources said might have been drug-related score settling. Four masked men shot at several guests, including the newlyweds and the bride's 13-year-old nephew, in a car park outside the village hall, Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone said late Thursday. 'The assailants opened fire, fatally wounding the bride, who was hit several times near the carotid artery,' Bessone said. 'The shots also hit the groom, who had several wounds in the upper body,' he said, adding that the boy had a lung injury and was initially in critical condition. The groom's sister was also hit in the shoulder. One of the attackers was killed. He was 'shot in the back and head' and also 'hit by a vehicle during the attack,' said the prosecutor. His three accomplices fled on foot. Two of them were detained in a nearby town several hours later and the fourth is on the run. After 96 hours in police custody, the two suspects appeared before a magistrate on Thursday and charged with murder and attempted murder as part of an organised gang. They have been remanded in custody. The Marseille public prosecutor did not specify their motives. But a source close to the case said the 25-year-old groom was known to police for drug and organised crime offences. The violence might be linked to possible drug-related score-settling, said another source. — AFP
Al Arabiya
02-06-2025
- General
- Al Arabiya
Nigerian military air strike kills at least 20 civilians: Residents
A Nigerian military air strike in the country's embattled northwest has killed at least 20 civilians, three residents told AFP on Monday. A group of local vigilantes were struck as they were pursuing a criminal gang in Zamfara state, the residents said. The Nigerian army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
