A drug dealer has been jailed for more than nine years after police seized his sawn-off shotgun and discovered £17,000 in his rucksack.
Peter O’Donnell was arrested after officers seized the weapon and five shotgun cartridges from an associate who was caught travelling away from the dealer’s house in a taxi.
The 36-year-old had handed his accomplice the gun and after realising it had been seized, he tried to flee his flat in Ladbroke Grove, London, in a separate taxi.
Armed police arrested the dealer who was carrying £17,000 in cash in his rucksack and five mobile phones, one of which had EncroChat installed - an encrypted messaging platform linked to a rash of criminal activity.
In a search of his flat, officers recovered drug dealing tools, traces of cocaine and more than £500 in cash.
Messages recovered from his EncroChat phone as part of Operation Venetic - the UK investigation cracking down on the encryption devices - provided further proof of his drug dealing.
O’Donnell pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition, the supply of class A drugs and money laundering.
He was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court to nine years and four months in prison on Saturday.
The judge also ordered him to forfeit the £17,505 seized during his arrest on Friday 12 June.
National Crime Agency (NCA) organised crime officer Matt McMillan said: “O’Donnell was a serious criminal who posed a significant threat to others through his supply of class A drugs and possession of a firearm.
“Not only did this operation put an end to his illicit activity, it removed a dangerous weapon from circulation.
"The NCA and Metropolitan Police Service will continue to work together to protect the public from the serious and organised criminals who are responsible for fuelling violent crime across the UK.”
