A notorious 'godfather' who sold machines guns to
criminals in Birmingham, Nigerian Nosakhere Stephenson, 41, has
been jailed for 16 years. Fitzroy Ducram ,known as one of Nosa's right
hand men was jailed for more than seven years.
Police say the gun dealer, known as 'Nosa', believed
he was 'untouchable' as he ran the operation alongside fellow gang members from
inside the infamous Burger Bar Boys gang.
The gang - which for years fought a bloody and
protracted feud with the rival Johnson Crew - trafficked weapons including a
MAC 10 machine gun, a brutal weapon which was used in one of Birmingham's most
notorious murders.
Letisha Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis were innocent
victims caught in the crossfire of the two warring gangs, whose turf war
blighted the Aston area of Birmingham for over a decade and cost dozens of
lives.
Their murders, which took place in 2003, propelled
Birmingham’s gun crime problem into the national headlines and kick-started
campaigns by residents who had grown tired of the daily acts of violence.
Eighteen men have now been convicted for a series of
offences relating to the criminal firearms operation which Stephenson ran.
As he was jailed for 16 years, Detective Constable
Phil Rodgers said the police operation - and subsequent haul of dozens of
weapons and ammunition - had undoubtedly prevented more murders in the
city.
The court heard how the gang had thousands of rounds
of ammunition specially made to be used with guns and revolvers, which they
sold for about £3,000 each.
Although Stephenson was never caught in possession of
the guns, phone records linked him to each deal and every other person in the
conspiracy - including his right-hand man, Sundish Nazran, who was jailed for
13 years.
Source: Mail Online
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