Firearms dealer held hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash stashed inside suitcases

A firearms dealer held hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash stashed inside suitcases.

James Salkeld boasted about having access to "proper pieces of kit" while trading under the pseudonym "BestGolfer" on encrypted communications platform EncroChat and had contacts in the Netherlands who would send "big metal parcels home". He and his fellow users Thomas Speed and Scott Roseau, also known as "SimpleCreek" and "MysticKangaroo", were this week handed a combined total of more than 65 years behind bars

A trial at Liverpool Crown Court and the sentencing hearing of the three men on Monday heard numerous examples of messages exchanged by the defendants as they trafficked guns and illicit substances across the UK. They revealed that Speed would organise the "swilling, washing and bashing of drugs" in order to convert cocaine into crack, as well as "bulking and adulterating to produce greater quantities".

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Roseau meanwhile was described as a "mid tier drug supplier" sitting downstream from the users "DonToto" and "SilentKnife", who in turn purchased from importer "MenOfHonour". And Salkeld was a "multi kilo dealer" of cannabis who helped "KingWasp" - the handle of Paul Woodford, a notorious gang enforcer who formed part of the Huyton-based Coggins organised crime group - to source the class B drug.

Evidence relating to his activities began on April 1 2020, when he arranged the supply of 2kg of cocaine "over the water" - or in the Wirral area - with the user "TastefulScooter" at a price of £75,760 by use of a car with a hidden compartment. Six days later, in the early hours of April 7, Roseau would make enquiries with him over the prices of wholesale amounts of heroin and cocaine.

This same exchange of messages also saw him ask Salkeld "any about?" alongside an emoji of a water gun. This sparked Best Golfer to contact Woodford, who in turn got in touch with Speed as they sought to source firearms and ammunition.

Shortly after 3pm, Roseau followed up with another message in which he asked his contact: "How we doing mate? Did you get the pic of the shooters?"

He then used his Encro phone again shortly before 10.15pm to say: "Hello mate. Did you get any prices on them things yet?"

Only two minutes later, Salkeld began messaging Woodford by asking "got any Aprils for sale mate?". This was said to be a reference to April Fools, or tools.

At this, King Wasp replied: "What do you mean Aprils for sale? Guns?

"None for sale but one of my mates has got them and asks me do I want to buy any. So I'll get on him for you mate."

Salkeld then responded: "Yeah get on him for me please mate. See what he's got.

"My pal from London wants some, so we'll make a drink. I'll split with you."

Woodford said: "Ok mate. He ain't got his phone on.

"I will give you for what I get them mate. I'll get on him when he puts his Encro on."

Salkeld: "Yeah, is right and we make a drink mate. Let me know what he's got when his phone is on please."

Woodford went on to message Speed: "Tom, have you got any guns for sale? One of your mates got any?"

Simple Creek replied shortly afterwards: "Hello mate, yeah. There's two there but he's dear to be honest, I think he's got a 38 and a 9."

A price of £3,500 was then quoted for the .38 calibre firearm, with the 9mm valued at £5,000. Salkeld was subsequently informed by Woodford that a "38 was going for four quid".

In turn, Roseau was quoted £5,000 for this weapon. He replied to say he wanted a gun "that holds quite a bit in the clip".

The discussions continued into the following day, when Speed told Woodford: "It holds nine mate, that's how many I've got with it. I've asked a few for 38 sweets as well."

Roseau then continued his attempts to source a firearm on April 11 from "IntegralTwig", asking "yo bro, is there any about?". Again, this message was accompanied by a water gun emoji.

His contact replied by sending him a picture of a gun with a silencer and magazine, believed to be a Baikal self-loading pistol. Integral Twig added: "This going for seven.

"Too much I think? What you think bro?"

Roseau responded: "Wooooooow. Nah, these people going too far with it bro.

"Have you got anyone that would drive and pick something up if we needed bro? Liverpool?"

Referring to the lockdown restrictions in place at the time due to the covid pandemic, he continued: "The only thing is, they need to have a good reason for being on the road."

On April 13, the conspirators discussed the availability of an RPA Quadlight .308 with "50 slugs and a scope". A picture of this weapon was sent from Speed to Woodford to Salkeld to Roseau, and then shared onwards with the latter's criminal associates in the capital.

Salkeld quoted a price of £6,000 for this gun, adding "proper piece of kit, innit". Roseau replied: "Not what I had in mind, but I f***ing like it. I'll grab it mate."

He was then asked "what you looking on doing with that mate?", to which he responded: "Brother, it's always best to have the resources than not to. Hopefully I never have to use it."

Arrangements for the collection of the firearm were then made over the coming days, with Roseau requesting that it be kept until lockdown restrictions eased. Further messages also referenced other weapons including Walthers, Glock 15s and Luger 16s while an associate of Salkeld's in the Netherlands, who went by the name "GamePower", pledged that he would "send a big, big metal parcel home in the next four to six weeks".

On April 21, Best Golfer then discussed the handover of £283,000 with "MixedJet". Later that day, he detailed how one suitcase contained his money - the £280k - while a second had £600,000 cash within it.

Three days later, Salkeld asked Roseau "what he would pay for new Glock 18s". The latter then replied: "With the Glocks, if you give me a reasonable price and tell me how many are coming I'll grab a good few of them."

On May 17, Woodford messaged Speed to say: "Ok mate. Mick the army fella said phone him as he's got work for both of us mate.

"He's been trying to get hold of you mate. See if you can get a pic of that gun or the make of it Tom."

Speed then replied: "That gun what me mate sold you, the 9 brand new one last year. This one he's passing tomorrow mate is the same as that and it's got five sweets in it."

Woodford continued: "I got two guns off you last year, a Luger and a Beretta. It's only got five sweets with it, I will give my mate more sweets with it mate."

Late into the evening, Speed responded: "It was the new one you got off me. Was that the Luger black one?

"Looks boss. Can you send me our mate's number?

"I'll ring him tomorrow afternoon and get it dropped to him. That ok with you?"

On May 22, the user "SlothLake" confirmed with Salkeld that their drug bill amounted to £504,000 - amounting to 14kg of cocaine priced at £36,000 each. Speed also discussed money on May 28, with as much as £114,000 being owed at one stage.

Stephen McNally, prosecuting, outlined how he was linked to his username by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit after being referred to as "Tom" by other users, while he also told the user "FlameCalm" that he was called "Speedy" during one conversation. The 37-year-old, of Moorhey Road in Maghull, was meanwhile asked "that u tarmac?" by "SlightDrake" on March 30 2020, having been the owner a business named Maghull Surfacing Limited.

Speed further referenced this line of work when speaking with "HuntedElf" on April 2, sending a picture of paving stones that he had pulled up alongside the message: "Got 35m² to do this street, then I'm done. Easy day, flag out, mac in."

He later arranged a meeting with "SkiBat" on April 14 by saying: "Go to the shops by ours mate. The Seabreeze chippy, I'll be there in 10."

His home was said to have been located only "a matter of yards away and a one minute drive" away. The dad also sent a picture of his children playing inside his living room to Hunted Elf, informed Woodford that it was his birthday on April 26 and referenced being subjected to a serious assault in which he suffered head injuries and attended Aintree Hospital on May 8.

Roseau - of Daubeney Road in Hackney, East London - was meanwhile unmasked as Mystic Kangaroo through messages which saw his name given away. Cell siting and automatic number plate recognition data also linked the movement of the 41-year-old's Encro phone, personal mobile and rented Mercedes.

And Salkeld was shown to have been the user of the handle Best Golfer through messages concerning the arrest of his brother, a trip to Amsterdam and the death of a family member. The 37-year-old, of Delamore Street in Kirkdale, had to be extradited back to the UK from the Netherlands following his arrest in November 2022, having also used EncroChat to plot the supply of firearms, heroin, cocaine and cannabis.

Speed's previous convictions include receiving three-and-a-half years for a class A drug trafficking in 2008. Alaric Walmsley, defending, told the court: "There have been large proportions of his life where he has engaged in legitimate and, to some degree, successful businesses.

"He has, for whatever reasons, adopted this way in which to make a living back in 2020. Before that, your honour sees the businesses he had built up in the past that have been able to support his family in a legitimate way."

Roseau's criminal record contains entries for possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence in 2003 and supply heroin in 2007 following the recovery of a quantity of the class A drug, £10,000 in cash and a bag of bullets, shell casings and gunpowder. His counsel Jon Harrison said: "He was last sentenced by a court some 17 years ago.

"Prior to 2003, he was someone in further education and working towards a legitimate and positive lifestyle before an incident arose out of a children's party and became a serious adult situation with a firearm. He developed an addiction to heroin, which led to his other offences.

"Mr Roseau got clean and fathered three children and took responsible for another with substantial needs. He had his life back on track, although the jury concluded that he was indeed Mystic Kangaroo."

Mr Harrison submitted that it could not be concluded that any deal for a firearm had been successfully concluded, adding: "There was no evidence of a lavish lifestyle. He was not someone who could be said to own anything of any real value.

"He has a number of dependants who are going to be negatively affected by his absence. Mr Roseau wishes to be back with them as soon as possible."

Salkeld has previous convictions for antisocial behaviour and driving matters, last coming before the courts when receiving eight months for affray in 2019. Sam Parham said on his behalf: "A letter from his ex-partner is evidence of a positive side to his his character.

"His remorse, we put forward, is genuine. We say that manifests itself in how he is conducting himself in custody.

"He has engaged extremely positively with the Samaritans and played a positive role there. He has put his remorse to practical effect and achieved positive results for others and a very positive change in himself."

Speed was found guilty of conspiracy to possess firearms for sale or transfer, conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine by a jury. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was imprisoned for 28 years.

Roseau was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to possess firearms, two charges of conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine. His supporters burst into tears and walked out of the courtroom as he was handed 22 years.

Salkeld pleaded guilty to conspiracy possess firearms and ammunition and conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis. He was locked up for 15 years and four months.

Sentencing, Judge Louise Brandon said that Speed had an "ability to source firearms as and when" while Salkeld had "acted as a go between" in the supply of guns, adding: "You have contributed to the degradation and human misery that drugs cause to those who take them, the families of those who take them and the wider society affected by crime. It is inevitable that your own families will also suffer."

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