Two men jailed for combined 12 years after illegal firearm supply in Epping
Police investigation linked both men to a loaded handgun and ammunition
Two men have been jailed for a combined total of 12 years following an organised crime investigation into firearm supply.
In July 2023, officers suspected that a 9mm Luger pistol and ammunition had been handed over in the Thornwood area. Shortly after this, Naheem Hussain was seen getting into a taxi.
Police stopped the taxi in Epping using armed officers.
When they searched it, they found a bag containing a loaded pistol inside a leather holster, along with a magazine and more than 50 extra bullets.
Hussain was arrested at the scene. He later admitted that he had the gun and ammunition, and was sentenced to 5 years and 8 months in prison.
Continuing the investigation, officers gathered evidence showing that the gun had been supplied directly by another man, Steven Savva.
In October 2023, police carried out a warrant at Savva’s address and arrested him.
Savva denied any involvement, but a trial found him guilty of supplying and possessing the firearm and ammunition.
He was sentenced to 6 and a half years in prison.
DI Frazer Low, of our Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said:
“Firearm offences are rare in Essex, but when they do arise, we have highly experienced teams whose sole focus is tackling serious and organised crime and keeping dangerous weapons off our streets.
“This investigation demonstrates the lengths we will go to in order to identify those involved in supplying firearms, build cases against them and bring them before the courts.
“No matter what level a criminal operates at in our county, they are never out of reach.
“We will continue to target those involved in organised criminality and do everything possible to prevent firearms from being used to cause harm in our communities.”