These are the pictures which helped bring down a 'ruthless gangster' and gun runner who helped criminals plot a gangland revenge shooting.
A number of gangsters are beginning jail sentences after EncroChat messages showed their involvement in sourcing guns and drug dealing.
These images of Bilal Khan and Umair Zaheer provided police with a crucial breakthrough as they were able to find the same clothes he had been wearing on the picture at his home, MEN reports.
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Khan, who worked for a property management company, was locked up for more than 10 years.
Sentencing the men in Manchester Crown Court on Friday, February 4, judge Mr Justice Kerr told Zaheer: "The photograph of you holding the AK47 was circulated to associates as a sign of your power,"
"Mr Khan celebrated with jubilant messages boasting of the firepower of the weapons and the prestige and thrills they brought."
EncroChat messages revealed how Khan, known as 'Legend killer' on the network, revelled in possessing the deadly machine gun.
He wrote: "This ting gives me a hard on. This is the daddy.
"I feel like my d*** works. No lie best ting I’ve seen."
Zaheer and Khan were sentenced alongside five other men for firearms and drugs offences, revealed by the law enforcement hack of the secretive EncroChat network.
Crimes uncovered included the revealing of a plot to 'hit back' after two men were shot in Salford, plots to purchase terrifying weapons including an AK47 and an Uzi sub machine gun, as well as large scale drug dealing.
Brandon Moore, 24, and Jordan Waring, 23, were both shot during an incident in Kersal in April 2020.
They sought the help of Zaheer to source a gun and seek retribution.
Zaheer, 34, said they would 'do him' when they discovered where the alleged gunman was.
He said: "This kids f***** now."
Waring replied: "Oh yea he is a dead man."
Moore and Waring were later arrested and the plan came to nothing.
Their lawyers claimed the messages were exaggerated and showed 'bravado', but the judge said: "The three of you at once planned revenge.
"The plan was serious. It was not bravado. It was as real as the wound to your arm."
Zaheer was also involved in helping broker deals to sell terrifying weapons to other criminals.
He arranged a £37,000 deal to sell Uzi and Skorpion sub machine guns, as well as a pistol to Khan.
Former electrician Robert Brazendale, 34, who worked with Zaheer and acted as a courier and driver, handed over the guns in a shop car park in Warrington, in exchange for the cash which was delivered by a courier, Hitesh Patel.
He took it to his uncle's business premises in Warrington, where he and Zaheer posed for pictures.
About a week later, police raided the site and found the AK47 hidden in a roof void.
Khan said in a message to Zaheer: "Bro they found it.
"Makes zero sense but NCA (National Crime Agency) have that AK."
The pair were arrested in the following days.
Despite his crimes, the judge accepted there was another side to Zaheer.
The Judge said: "You are not only a ruthless gangster, you are also a good son, partner, father and fund raiser for charitable causes."
Zaheer, Moore and Waring, all of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Zaheer pleaded guilty to a separate conspiracy to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life, as did Khan, of Mersey Road, Didsbury, alongside, Patel, 27, of Garden Lane, Chester.
Brazendale, of Selworthy Drive, Warrington, admitted conspiring to transfer prohibited weapons.
Zaheer and another man, Lewis Coleman, 23, of Pendlecroft Avenue, Swinton also admitted drugs offences, both pleading guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine.
Zaheer pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cannabis, and Coleman pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply ketamine.
Zaheer was jailed for 25 years, Moore received 11 years and five months, Waring was sentenced to eight years and seven months while Coleman was locked up for six years and nine months
Brazendale was sentenced to 11 years and three months, Khan to 10 years and eight months, and Patel received seven years and five months.
After the hearing, Neil Gardner, NCA operations manager, said: "The weapons we took off the street and out of the crime groups’ hands were some of the most lethal around with a truly devastating capability.
"In seizing these weapons which are capable of firing multiple rounds per second, we have saved lives and protected the public."
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