A notorious crime family armed themselves with stolen army guns and lived a lavish life from peddling heroin and crack outside 'school playgrounds'. Now, the Whitney Gang's ringleader, Paul Whitney, is set to face another lengthy spell behind bars after trafficking huge quantities of illicit substances, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Over a decade ago, Whitney headed up the infamous gang with the assistance of key family members and a number of trusted associates. With a number of safehouses across Liverpool, his operation ran a "cash and carry system" - trading with customers on street corners including outside an Anfield Primary School.
The Whitney's had been in Merseyside Police's sights for years, with Operation Malton launched in 2008 in a bid to take them down. Upon a police raid, they discovered an SA80 military assault rifle - stolen from Salisbury army barracks in 2005- stashed in the home of gran Mary McCabe.
Officers also discovered 1,200 rounds of ammunition in a suitcase hidden in her car. It was suspected that the Whitneys employed younger, scooter-riding teenagers to orchestrate attacks to ward off any other dealers.
Those at the top of the family enjoyed lavish luxury funded by their ill-gotten gains. Paul Whitney lived in a sought-after road in the Aintree area and his business partner Michael O’Toole splashed £1,000 a month for his plush home in Woolton, an area popular with footballers.
Upon further investigation as part of Operation Molton, detectives recovered cocaine which would have resulted in a £100,000 profit. They also discovered 47kg of "bash", a substance used in the adulteration process to dilute class and to lower drug purity and boost profits.
On November 22 2011, Judge John Roberts jailed the 13 members of the Whitney gang to a total of 82 years and three months. Paul Whitney was handed nine years and four months and business partner O'Toole was sentenced to eight years.
Speaking at the conclusion of the Whitney gang sentencing, Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Doherty said: “This family is so dangerous that guns and drugs are part of their daily business. The Whitneys are an unpleasant family, significant in the Anfield area.
"Their reputation was well-known. They were an organised crime group that needed taking apart."
In the next part of the notorious families crime filled story, Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that Paul Whitney is back involved in the criminal underworld and had a "network of couriers and drivers" at his disposal to collect drugs and cash on his behalf. He communicated with this network through encrypted communications platform EncroChat under the handle 'BulletHawk'.
After the authorities gained access to the underground messaging service, officers carried out a search warrant at his house on March 30 2021 - the day of his 43rd birthday. Upon the police arriving at his door, Whitney answered the door and replied: "It's my birthday. This is a joke."
Merseyside Police seized £600 in cash, a quantity of cannabis and several motorbikes during the raid. A previous visit in August 2020 had unearthed monies totalling £15,000 in a locked cupboard, as well as a number of high value goods.
The court heard that Whitney had been involved in the supply of at least 4kg of heroin, 1kg of cocaine, 30kg of cannabis and 2kg of ketamine. It had previously been suspected that the 44-year-old may have been concerned in the supply of up to 83kg of class A drugs alone.
The handles of 38 other service users had been stored in his Encro phone, and he was found to have been in contact with around half of these. Whitney - who appeared via video link to HMP Liverpool - was due to be sentenced on Wednesday after admitting conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine, ketamine and cannabis and money laundering in relation to his latest crimes.
But Ian Whitehurst, defending, queried the quantities of drugs his client was alleged to have been involved in supplying - as well as the level of his role within the operation. Judge Robert Trevor-Jones adjourned the hearing until December 9.
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