Armed police swooped on three men 'strongly associated' with the notorious Gooch Gang after they received a 'wicked' shotgun during a handover on a quiet residential street in broad daylight.
Undercover officers watched the handover of the semi automatic, single barrel shotgun, which occurred on Skye Close in Heywood after 1pm on a Thursday afternoon.
They then followed Waqas Farooq, 34, Zahid Mahmood, 30, and Jahmal Chambers, 24, to Whalley Range, where they struck and recovered the weapon.
A judge said Farooq, 34, wanted to acquire the shotgun as part of his drug dealing activities.
Now seven men have been jailed for a total of 65 years in relation to the handover of the weapon.
Manchester Crown Court heard that others including Tariq Khaliq, Meshach Pinnock and Jordan Starkey, all 28, had arranged for a man called Tyrone Keighery-Simons to deliver the weapon and 29 cartridges to Farooq, Mahmood and Chambers.
As they met in Heywood, Khaliq, who appeared to be wearing a black glove, was seen showing Farooq, Mahmood and Chambers the firearm in the holdall, possibly demonstrating how it could be used.
The shotgun had been delivered in a large holdall by Keighery-Simons, 23,who walked over a field to where the cars were parked.
Farooq, Mahmood and Chambers then drove in tandem down to Brooklyn Avenue in Whalley Range.
They were seen sat in the car, an Audi A3, thought to be examining the weapon.
Minutes later, at about 2.37pm on October 18 last year, armed police struck and arrested the trio.
Chambers who had been there to provide 'muscle', ran off but was caught shortly after by police.
He was found to have an Armani bag containing heroin. He also had a small knife and about £500 in cash.
Farooq also had an Armani bag, which contained digital scales and £710 in cash.
At the police station, officers found five wraps of cocaine and five wraps of heroin stuffed down the front of his trousers.
A firearms expert tested the weapon, and found it was in 'poor condition'.
Out of 20 to 30 attempts to fire the shotgun, it only discharged twice. One barrister said it was 'pot luck' whether the shotgun would fire or not.
But Judge Hilary Manley said: "The shotgun in this case is a wicked lethal weapon. It matters little that it was in poor condition.
"Each of you has sought, through your counsel, to impress upon the court that when it was test fired by a forensic scientists, around 20 to 30 attempts were made, resulting in two discharges of the weapon.
"Thus, it was submitted, it wasn't really all that dangerous.
"Were someone to point it at your head and pull the trigger, you would be unlikely to persevere in that submission."
The other four men were also arrested.
In searches of their homes, police found a cannabis farm containing 25 plants at Khaliq's property, as well as scales, £1,300 in cash and body armour.
Cocaine and cannabis was found at Keighery-Simons' home, and body armour and a balaclava were seized at Pinnock's residence.
Prosecutor Julian King told the court: "The prosecution case is that Farooq, Mahmood, Chambers, Khaliq and Pinnock are all involved in serious crime, they are all strongly associated in various ways to the Gooch OCG."
But Judge Manley said the evidence showed that it was more likely they were 'on the margins of gang activity' rather than members.
The Moss Side based gang is one of the city's most notorious organised crime groups.
In 2009 a judge said its members had been involved in crimes ‘reminiscent of Al Capone and Chicago in the era of prohibition’.
Judge Mr Justice Brian Langstaff was speaking at the end of GMP’s ‘biggest ever gang trial’ a decade ago, following the murder of Ucal Chin, 24, and then Tyrone Gilbert, 23, who was shot at Ucal’s wake.
At a sentencing hearing on Friday, Judge Manley told the seven defendants: "When firearms fall into the hands of organised criminals, catastrophic harm can be caused.
"Criminals use firearms to bolster their power, to enforce their threats and criminality, and to further their criminal activities.
"You all knew this before you embarked on this enterprise, reflected in the careful planning and forensic awareness that was displayed."
Farooq, Mahmood and Chambers were all jailed for 11 years.
Farooq, of Northleigh Road, Old Trafford, and Mahmood, of Lindum Avenue, Old Trafford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life, Chambers, of no fixed abode, was found guilty of the same offence after a trial.
Farooq was also dealt with for possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine, Chambers for possession with intent to supply heroin and possessing a bladed article.
Mahmood was sentenced for unrelated offences of possession with intent to supply cannabis and dangerous driving.
Khaliq, of Torbay Road, Urmston, was jailed for ten-and-a-half years after admitting conspiracy to possess a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life and producing cannabis.
Pinnock, of Ash Avenue, Cheadle, was jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Keighery-Simons, of Gordon Way, Heywood, and Starkey, of Argyle Street, Heywood, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a prohibited firearm. Keighery-Simons also admitted possession with intent to supply cannabis.
He was locked up for six years, while Starkey received a sentence of five-and-a-half years.
After the hearing, Detective Sergeant Phil Kennedy of GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group said: “This was an in-depth investigation that has resulted in a lethal weapon and seven very dangerous individuals being removed from our streets.
"This gun would doubtless have been used to further the criminal aims of those commissioning its use. Seizures of this nature are an invaluable part of our fight against organised criminals.
"I would urge anyone with information about illegal firearms to contact police immediately. Your actions could well help save someone’s life."
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