A drugs courier made a shocking admission to armed police following his arrest in dramatic footage captured on bodycam.
Joseph Grey, 56, was stopped as part of Operation Brooks, a covert investigation into an organised crime group who were dealing class B drugs from the north west into Nottinghamshire.
As officers surrounded the car, they smashed the window and ordered him to show his hands before asking if had ‘anything he shouldn’t have’ on him.
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Grey replied ‘yes’, and was asked by the officer: “What do you have on you at the moment?”
He then admitted: “I think it’s a f******* grenade”.
When asked to confirm, he also admitted to having a gun.
The officer then asked him where they were and he replied nonchalantly, 'in my pocket and my arm here' before he was searched.
Removing the grenade, which appeared to be wrapped in bubble wrap, the officer said: “Yes, that is a grenade.”
A further search of the car revealed vacuum packed bags of cannabis and cash hidden in a sports bag.
The grenade was later detonated at the scene.
The footage has been released following the sentencing of others involved in the conspiracy at Manchester Crown Court.
Grey worked as a drugs courier for drug kingpin Jonathan Walsh, Manchester Crown Court heard.
As part of the operation, he would transport cannabis and amphetamine in five and ten kilo quantities to Mansfield.
Walsh would buy 10kg worth of cannabis for £50,000 and sell it for £65,000, and so was making £15,000 profit a time, a previous hearing was told.
“Grey made a lot of trips, so I made a lot of money”, Walsh said.
The total profit from the cannabis was £315,000.
On January 29 2019, Grey was observed meeting with Walsh in an alleyway before handing over a package to him, which was suggested to be a payment for drugs.
After that meeting, Grey called Anthony Jones on an Encrophone, provided by Walsh, who was holding onto the weapons.
Jones then handed the weapons over to Grey, who was seen dealing drugs before picking up Noel Walsh, the brother of Jonathan Walsh.
They were then followed by armed officers who stopped them at a junction and arrested them.
Walsh was tipped off that Grey had been arrested and returned to his house which he shared with girlfriend Jodie Bowie.
He then conducted internet searches including on the Liverpool Echo, the court heard.
Kaylum Davies was later recruited as a courier, but following his arrest, Jodie enlisted her mum Janice Bowie (also the sister of Joseph Grey), dad David Bowie and brother Lee Bowie.
They each assisted in the transport of cash to Mansfield as directed by Jodie, on behalf of Walsh.
Walsh was eventually caught following a police chase and was found with 15kg of vacuum sealed packs of cannabis worth £150,000.
At his address in Failsworth that he shared with girlfriend Jodie, officers found designer clothing, Rolex watches and cash to the sum of £10,000.
At a previous hearing, barrister Alexander Leech QC said on Grey’s behalf that he was acting as a ‘warehouseman’ and courier for Walsh.
Grey, of Hopgarth Walk, Manchester, pleaded guilty to firearm offences, conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering and was jailed for eight-and-a-half years.
Anthony Jones, 40, of Parkview Road, Liverpool, was found guilty after a trial at Manchester Crown Court in June 2021 of conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to possess an explosive device and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
Jonathan Walsh, 33, of Warwick Road, Failsworth, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering and was later found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm, conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to possess an explosive device after trial. He was sentenced to 15 years behind bars.
Kaylum Davies, 24, of Pirie Walk, Newton Heath, Manchester pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A heroin and conspiracy to supply class B (amphetamine and cannabis) and was jailed for three years.
Noel Walsh, 38, Cattlin Way, Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B and money laundering. He was sentenced to three years.
Jodie Bowie, of Medlock Road, Failsworth, Manchester received 21 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, a three month curfew between 7pm and 5.30am, 140 hours unpaid work and ten rehabilitation activity requirement days, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class B cannabis and money laundering.
David Bowie, 52, of Warwick Road, Failsworth, received ten months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, 80 hours unpaid work and £300 costs, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
Janice Bowie, 53, of Warwick Road, Failsworth, received 12 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months, 80 hours unpaid work and £400 costs, after being found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
Lee Bowie, 34, Falside Walk, Newton Heath, is due to be sentenced at a later date, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to conceal/disguise/convert/transfer/remove criminal property.
Sentencing, Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said: “The operation was managed by Jonathan Walsh who organised the financial side and recruited couriers.
“He also provided Encrophones as part of the conspiracy.
“When one of the couriers [Joseph Grey] was arrested, Jonathan Walsh was able to recruit another along the way, Kaylum Davis.
“The scale of the operation was discovered by the seizure by the police, with a potential profit of £300k. There is no real dispute that the gun had an expected chance of killing or causing serious harm.
“I am satisfied it was obtained for an illegal purpose, and was a weapon of high level risk and harm."
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