Police have revealed the moment they arrested an underworld gun dealer during a major investigation into the supply of firearms and ammunition in the West Midlands.
West Midlands Police said Tony Graham would arrange the sales and then direct his younger brother, Simon, to act as a courier for the firearms.
He bought so-called obsolete calibre fun, which are legal but intended for collectors, and then purchased a key legally from a foreign website to give him the tools to make bullets for those antique guns.
Police estimate that he made more than 100 enquiries with an online retailer of the weapons.
Cousins Bernard and Tony Stokes, who were customers of the Graham brothers, have also been convicted.
They travelled from Basildon in Essex to Rubery on June 14, 2021, to buy ammunition for an obsolete calibre weapon but were stopped in Wembley later the same day at gunpoint.
In their car, two machetes, a knife and four bullets wrapped in clingfilm were found.
Detective Inspector Amar Patel said: “Tony Graham was a trusted supplier of ammunition with people willing to travel across the country to buy from him.
“He had a real interest in firearms and a determination to profit from their sale within the criminal underworld.
“The extent of his operation and the number of weapons and bullets he was involved in selling is not clear, but what is clear is that the dismantling of his operation will have been a major blow to serious and organised crime in the West Midlands and beyond.
“We are relentless in our pursuit of organised criminals who cause massive damage to communities.”
The investigation also found that Simon Graham had supplied a gun that was seized from a gang of armed men in a BMW in Kings Norton on May 13, 2021, in an operation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
A loaded handgun was also recovered on August 6 by a trained police dog after being dumped by Bailey McIlroy when he and Tony Graham were spotted and chased by police.
#OpTarget | This is the moment we arrested an underworld gun dealer involved in the supply of firearms and ammunition in #Birmingham.
— West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) November 25, 2023
Tony Graham would arrange the sales, and then direct his younger brother Simon to act as a courier.
Full story 👉 https://t.co/dSj8Tgea8H pic.twitter.com/JKDH95SFvu
Tony Graham, aged 40, St Johns Road, Dudley, admitted to possession of a firearm and four charges of selling or transferring ammunition. He was jailed for eight years and one month earlier this year.
Simon Graham, aged 39, of Holly Hill Road, Rubery, admitted to four charges of selling ammunition and was jailed for five years and six months.
Bernard Stokes, aged 33, of Billericay, Essex and Tony Stokes, aged 27, of no fixed address, both admitted to possession of ammunition and were each jailed for two years, suspended for 21 months.
Bailey McIlroy, aged 19, of Lysander Road Rednal, was found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition and was yesterday (Friday, November 24) jailed for three years.
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