Last Member Of Nosa Stephenson’s Gun Supply Gang Jailed

Friday, 29 July 2016 17:00

The last member of a Birmingham-based gang that dealt illegal guns and ammo to criminals is now behind bars after spending more than a year trying to evade justice by going to ground in Pakistan.

Kumran Ghalib stayed in hiding abroad while his 18 accomplices - including the now notorious Nosakhere Stephenson – were jailed for a combined total of more than 200 years.

But on 26 January 2016, just a day after the last few sentences were handed down to his three remaining co-conspirators, the 36-year-old came back to the UK on a flight from Islamabad.

He was greeted by detectives from West Midlands Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit who were on standby at Birmingham Airport.

Ghalib was arrested and charged with conspiracy to transfer prohibited guns and ammunition. A jury unanimously found him guilty of the offence at Birmingham Crown Court.

Today he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The court heard how Ghalib, from Raglan Road in Smethwick, stored a French St Etienne revolver and ammunition which was due to be handed over to customers on 16 January 2015.

He kept hold of the weapon at a family address in Aston in the hours leading up to the sale and then passed it over to other gang members who completed the delivery.

But police intercepted the transfer as it took place – news that quickly got back to Ghalib, who then made hurried arrangements to leave the country before officers were able to make the link.

Detective Chief Inspector Sam Ridding, from Force CID, said: “We have now completely smashed what was a highly-organised and extremely dangerous gun supply network.

“The only one who didn’t get arrested at the time – Kumran Ghalib – probably thought he’d got away with it, but we never forget about people who bring misery to the streets of our city.

“We knew it was only a matter of time before he would want to come home to his family and as soon as he got on a flight back from Pakistan we made sure we were ready to lock him up.

“If you’re involved in the illegal supply of firearms in Birmingham, you’re risking a very hefty prison sentence and it’s only a matter of time before my team catches up with you.”

DCI Ridding added: “We’ve made real progress over the last decade and cut gun and gang related crime massively but recent shootings in Birmingham - some of which have resulted in people losing their lives - highlight why it’s important there’s no let-up in our effort to rid the region of weapons.”

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