Gang converting guns across London jailed
Metropolitan Police investigation recovers 14 firearms and leads to sentences for six individuals.
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The central claim is attributed to the Met Police, with a named detective quoted, and specific figures and dates provided.
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A network that converted blank-firing weapons into firearms capable of discharging live ammunition has been dismantled, with six individuals sentenced at Harrow Crown Court. The Metropolitan Police investigation, which lasted 10 months, recovered 14 converted firearms before they could be supplied to buyers across London.
Central figure's history
PC Beshenivsky killer jailed for eight years for gun plot
Faisal Razzaq, who previously served time for manslaughter, has been sentenced for his role in supplying weapons to London gangs.
Faisal Razzaq, 44, a central figure in the operation, received a life sentence with a minimum term of eight years. Razzaq was previously jailed for the 2005 manslaughter of PC Sharon Beshenivsky. Intelligence gathered by police indicated his involvement in the illegal sale and transfer of firearms by May 2024. He was arrested in September 2024 and pleaded guilty to a series of firearms offences.
Detective Inspector Andy Durham of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command stated that Razzaq played a significant role in distributing converted firearms. He added that dismantling the entire network, from conversion to distribution and storage, prevented a substantial number of illegal firearms from reaching the public. The Metropolitan Police reported seizing 676 firearms in the previous year.
Ringleader and other sentences
Erdem Mustafa shot dead at Enfield pub, police seek suspect
Metropolitan Police have released a CCTV image of an individual they wish to identify in connection with the fatal shooting.
Thomas McKenna, 60, identified as the gang's ringleader, was sentenced to 16 years in prison. McKenna pleaded guilty to firearms offences, making explosives, and possessing a collection of terrorist material. His partner, Tina Smith, 55, received a six-year sentence for similar offences.
Other members sentenced include Robert Dorey and Ricky Dorey, who worked with Razzaq on firearm distribution, receiving eight years and 10 years respectively. Abdul Rahman Saleh was sentenced to seven years and six months for handling weapons, and Patrick Loughnane received eight years and six months for acting as an intermediary. Tammy Rigg was given five years and three months for storing a converted firearm.
Gun customers Allan Crosby and Ryan Smith were sentenced to 10 years and seven-and-a-half years respectively, having been found with a converted pistol and modified ammunition.
Questions this report answers
+What did the gang do?
The gang converted blank-firing weapons into functional firearms capable of firing live ammunition. They then supplied these converted weapons to buyers across London, operating as a significant illegal firearms network.
+How many firearms were recovered?
The Metropolitan Police investigation recovered 14 converted firearms. These weapons were intercepted before they could be distributed and potentially used in criminal activity across the capital.
+Who was the ringleader and what was his sentence?
The ringleader of the gang was Thomas McKenna, aged 60. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison after admitting to firearms offences, making explosives, and possessing terrorist material.
+What was Faisal Razzaq's sentence?
Faisal Razzaq, a central figure in the network, received a life sentence with a minimum term of eight years. He had previously been jailed for the manslaughter of PC Sharon Beshenivsky.
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