Man who supplied weapons to Birmingham crime group boss jailed
Rizwan Malik has been sentenced to over 10 years in prison
A Birmingham man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for supplying firearms to a crime boss involved in extensive drug dealing across the UK.
Rizwan Malik, 43, from Small Heath, provided three Walther Creed 9mm self-loading, semi-automatic pistols to Danyal Aziz, the leader of a Birmingham-based crime group, through associate Michael Earp.
Malik was sentenced today at Birmingham Crown Court after being found guilty at trial.
The organised crime group led by Danyal Aziz was responsible for distributing substantial quantities of class A drugs, including heroin and cocaine, throughout the West Midlands and nationwide during 2020.
In April 2020, Malik delivered the firearms to the group’s base at Sapphire Heights, Hockley, following instructions sent via Encrochat—an encrypted communication network used by criminals.
CCTV footage captured Malik arriving in a van to meet Michael Earp for the exchange of the weapons.
Danyal Aziz 32, from Stechford, was sentenced to 33 years in prison in October 2023.
His charges included possession of the firearms with intent to endanger life.
Evidence indicated that Aziz was prepared to use the weapons to defend his drug trafficking operations and to intimidate competitors.
Two other associates, Michael Earp, 35 from Shard End, and Nicole Rhone, 32 from Bordesley Green, received sentences alongside Aziz.
Earp was sentenced to 26 years for drugs and firearms offences, while Rhone received a 5-year sentence for firearms offences.
Authorities also discovered other dangerous weapons linked to the group, including a Skorpion submachine gun found under Rhone’s bed.
These convictions emerged from Operation Venetic, an investigation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The operation focused on encrypted messages exchanged between devices connected to organised crime groups.
Giorgina Venturella, Specialist Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, said:
“Malik put lethal weapons into the hands of an organised criminal, Danyal Aziz, who was fully prepared to use them. This could have had potentially catastrophic consequences for innocent members of the public.
“The 33 years handed down to Aziz in 2023 reflected the severity of his crimes and the corrosive damage that drugs and violence can do in our communities. Malik has now similarly brought to justice and jailed for 10 years and three months.
“He played an integral role in the whole enterprise, handing this criminal group the means to threaten and intimidate rivals and customers alike, which was an intrinsic part of their operating model.
“The CPS is committed to working with investigators like the National Crime Agency to disrupt organised gang crimes who bring harm to our communities.”
Rick Mackenzie, operations manager at the National Crime Agency, said:
“Rizwan Malik played a vital role in this dangerous gang’s criminal activities and he didn’t hesitate in assisting them in delivering deadly firearms.
“Malik and his associates thought they were untraceable by using Encrochat to discuss and organise their crimes. They were wrong. The use of the encrypted phone system meant NCA officers were able to link them to their offending.
“The NCA will continue to protect the public from serious and organised crime and pursue criminals trading in lethal firearms which have a devastating impact on our communities.”