Bolton and Manchester drug plotters' bizarre fake names

“Vicious Swan”, “Assassin New” and “Baby Assassin” were all part of the plot to supply both guns and hard drugs using the crypted “Encrochat” platform.

In reality the three men behind the user names were 42-year-old Bolton man Danny Parmer along with father and son Asim and Junnaid Tufail.

Detective Chief Inspector Zoe Russo from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit’s Investigation Team said: “This crime group mistakenly thought that they could get away with conducting their criminal business by using the encrypted mobile platform EncroChat, but they were sadly mistaken.

“My officers worked meticulously to identify who the Encro handles belonged to, to ensure the organised crime group were brought to justice.

Huge amounts of cocaine were discussed (Image: North West Regional Organised Crime Unit)

“We uncovered within the Encrochat data images of firearms he was conspiring to supply which could have caused serious harm and devastation in our community.”

A lengthy two-day sentencing hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court heard how the group’s criminal operations began to unravel in 2020.

This started with Operation Venetic, an international policing operation targeting criminals using the Encrochat service.

Detectives examining messages between March and June 2020, detectives found that Asim Tufail, 52, was “Assassin New”, while his now 23-year-old son Junnaid was “Baby Assassin.”

Bolton man Danny Parmer has been jailed (Image: North West Regional Organised Crime Unit)

Parmer, of Duddon Avenue, Breightmet, operated under the name “Vicious Swan.”

In one message, Asim Tufail said he hoped to move between £3M and £4M a fortnight, while in another Junnaid Tufail shared a picture of a home gym he had apparently spend £10,000 on.

But as their criminal operation unravelled the pair were arrested at Manchester Airport in January 2021 as they waited for a flight to Dubai.

Asim Tufail was wearing a £70,000 Rolex watch when he was caught (Image: North West Regional Organised Crime Unit)

At the time, the elder Tufail was wearing a £70,000 Rolex watch.

A few days later, Palmer was charged after being arrested at his home in Bolton.

The court had heard how “Vicious Swan” had plotted with “Assassin New” to source and supply guns to a Wigan based criminal gang.

He had also planned to source cocaine and cannabis from Tufail, which he would then be able to sell in Bolton.

A few months later, detectives discovered that 53-year-old Liverpool man Peter Lawler was also part of the conspiracy.

Peter Lawlor was jailed (Image: North West Regional Organised Crime Unit)

He was arrested at his home address where officers seized around half a kilogram of heroin.

DCI Russo said: “Thankfully, the crime group have now been sentenced for their crimes and will spend a significant period of time in custody.

"I hope this outcome demonstrates that the NWROCU is unrelenting in its pursuit of offenders and that we work tirelessly to proactively investigate serious organised crime, including the use of guns and the supply and distribution of drugs in our region."

Asim Tufail, of Kenmore Road, Northenden was found guilty of blackmail, conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and money laundering.

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He was jailed for 23 years.

Parmer was jailed for 9 years after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons.

Lawlor, of Eton Court, Liverpool, guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and participation in activities of an organised crime group, for which he was jailed for 4 Years and 4 months.

Junnaid Tufail, 23, also of Kenmore Road, Northenden has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and three counts of conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons.

He will be sentenced at a later date.