Former pro footballer jailed for importing drugs and guns with brother | E5QBML3 | 2024-02-19 11:08:01
Former pro footballer jailed for importing drugs and guns with brother | E5QBML3 | 2024-02-19 11:08:01
A former professional soccer participant who ran a gun and drug importation operation together with his brother has been jailed for 30 years.
Wayne McKenzie, 48, and his brother Craig imported cocaine and cannabis from the US, Spain and the Netherlands from March to June 2020.
He was additionally involved in importing firearms during the same interval.
McKenzie, from Liverpool, imported the medicine then organised for others to transport them by means of the UK to clients, where that they had a road value of £2 million.
A lot of the medicine have been despatched to criminals in Liverpool and Manchester however some additionally ended up in Wales and London.
McKenzie's crimes have been uncovered when the National Crime Agency acquired knowledge from the EncroChat encrypted communications platform
The EncroChat platform was taken down in 2020 and Operation Venetic, the UK regulation enforcement response led by the NCA, was launched.
McKenzie was utilizing two handles on the platform, LittleOrchid and RadiantAcid, and had in depth conversations round importing medicine and firearms for profit.
In a single, discussing smuggling a gun to the UK hidden in chemical waste, McKenzie says the final firearm he imported was bought 'straight to youngsters in London'.
In another, McKenzie says he's in touch with a trawler who will help in importing cannabis to the UK.
Officers additionally discovered McKenzie had contact with notorious criminals based mostly in Spain with a view to launder the revenue from their crimes.
He was arrested by the NCA in February 2022 and officers discovered a burner telephone, designer trainers and documentation referring to a enterprise used for money laundering.
He was charged and recalled to jail as he was already on licence for offences of conspiracy to provide medicine.
McKenzie, who performed semi-professional football in England before enjoying professional in Scandinavia, was convicted on Monday after a two week trial.
He acquired a 30-year jail term at Manchester Crown Courtroom at present.
His brother Craig McKenzie is already serving a 20-year sentence for his part in comparable offences.
After sentencing, Dean Wallbank from the NCA stated: 'Wayne McKenzie was prolific in trafficking both medicine and firearms, selling them onto gangs and laundering the income by means of notorious criminals with out concern.
'Our investigation has dismantled this family crime group, which brought harm to the streets of the UK. Those streets are safer with him behind bars.'
'The NCA will continue to target those concerned in probably the most critical forms of offending, defending the general public from organised criminals.'
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