Bizarre moment smiling £26m drug lord jumps for joy as he's arrested – before being jailed for 43 years
Jamie Rothwell, 38, from Salford, was filmed while being arrested by Spanish cops after he was identified as running a £26million drugs empire in Greater Manchester.
5
5
In the short footage, a handcuffed Rothwell is pictured smiling and talking to the arresting officers.
When he is led away, wearing shorts and a black t-shirt, he does a little dance and then kicks his legs in the air.
Rothwell, has now been sentenced at Manchester Crown Court, along with nine other associates, who were sentenced to a total of 163 years and 11 months.
The drug lord pleaded guilty in February to one count of conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life; one count of conspiracy to possess ammunition with intent to endanger life; conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class A, namely cocaine; two counts of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and a single count of conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of Class B, namely ketamine.
International law enforcement agencies were able to infiltrate the once encrypted messaging service EncroChat, in April 2020 and detectives from Greater Manchester Police's Serious Organised Crime Group launched a covert investigation into the gang.
When the encrypted platform was compromised in April 2020, Rothwell was living in Spain and continuing to organise the importation and distribution of drugs, firearms, and criminal cash from abroad.
Despite his attempts to evade justice, detectives were able to monitor his encrypted communications in real time, exposing his command over a sprawling criminal enterprise and his involvement in the trafficking of high-powered weapons, including AK-47 rifles.
His drug empire was estimated to have a street value of around £26million – he was deported back to the UK in 2021 to face trial.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Sergeant Colin Shackleton said: 'The supply of Class A drugs in this investigation were on an industrial scale, with the criminal gang making eye-watering profits.
"They believed they were above the law, and having access to their messages gave us real insight into their arrogant, egotistical, and apathetic nature.
Moment parrot helps cops bring down huge drug gang with criminal squawking
'This has been a complex and long-standing investigation which has spanned years and international borders.
"These sentences today are testament to years of hard work by Greater Manchester Police SOCG team, Cheshire SOCU, the Crown Prosecution Service, Prosecution Barristers, the NCA and our partner agencies.
'It is not uncommon for suspects to flee the country in a bid to avoid facing the consequences of their crimes, but this case epitomises our dedication of bringing offenders to justice, regardless of where they try and hide.
'International collaboration was crucial to this case, and here we worked closely with the National Crime Agency and the Spanish authorities, and we continue to do so to locate fugitives who are currently at large.
'We share the common goal to see these people behind bars and we will do all we can to achieve this.'
5
5
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
6 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rayner claims Reform will ‘fail women' as she weighs in on online safety row
Nigel Farage and Reform UK risk 'failing a generation of young women' if they scrap online safety laws aimed at preventing revenge porn, Angela Rayner has said. The Deputy Prime Minister demanded Mr Farage explain how his party would keep young women safe when they use the internet, after Reform vowed to repeal the Online Safety Act. Her warning is the latest intervention in a row between senior Labour figures and Mr Farage's party over the Act. Under new rules introduced through the legislation at the end of July, online platforms such as social media sites and search engines must take steps to prevent children from accessing harmful content such as pornography or material that encourages suicide. Reform has vowed to repeal the law and replace it with a different means of protecting children online, though the party has not said how it would do this. Among their criticisms of the Act, Mr Farage and his colleagues have cited freedom of speech concerns and claimed the Act is an example of overreach by the Government. This prompted backlash from Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, who claimed people like Jimmy Savile would use the internet to exploit children if he was still alive, and insisted anyone against the Act – like Mr Farage – was 'on their side'. The Reform leader demanded an apology, but ministers have been trenchant in their defence of the Act. Now, the Deputy Prime Minister has questioned how Mr Farage would seek to prevent the 'devastating crime' of intimate image abuse, also known as 'revenge porn', without the Online Safety Act's protections. Ms Rayner claimed: 'Nigel Farage risks failing a generation of young women with his dangerous and irresponsible plans to scrap online safety laws. 'Scrapping safeguards and having no viable alternative plan in place to halt the floodgates of abuse that could open is an appalling dereliction of duty. It's time for Farage to tell women and girls across Britain how he would keep them safe online.' Under the Online Safety Act, revenge porn is classified among the 'most severe online offences', the Deputy PM added. Citing figures from the charity Refuge, the Labour Party claimed a million young women had been subject to revenge porn: either intimate images being shared, or the threat of this. Some 3.4 million adults in total, both men and women, have been affected, Labour also said. Ministers have previously had to defend the Online Safety Act against accusations from Elon Musk's X social media site that it is threatening free speech. In a post at the start of August titled 'What Happens When Oversight Becomes Overreach', the platform formerly known as Twitter outlined criticism of the act and the 'heavy-handed' UK regulators. The Government countered that it is 'demonstrably false' that the Online Safety Act compromises free speech and said it is not designed to censor political debate. Mr Farage has meanwhile suggested there is a 'tech answer' for protecting children online, but neither he nor the Government have outlined one. He also suggested children are too easily able to avoid new online age verification rules by using VPNs (virtual private networks), which allow them to circumvent the rules by masking their identity and location. When Reform UK was approached for comment, its Westminster councillor Laila Cunningham said: 'Women are more unsafe than ever before thanks to Labour. Starmer has released thousands of criminals back onto the streets early with no regard for women's safety. 'I am calling on Jess Phillips to debate me on women's safety – she ignored the grooming gangs scandal and now she's wilfully deceiving voters on this issue. 'Reform will always prioritise prosecuting abuse but will never let women's safety be hijacked to justify censorship. 'You don't protect women by silencing speech. You protect them by securing borders, enforcing the law, and locking up actual criminals, and that is exactly what a Reform government would do.'
The Independent
6 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rayner claims Farage's Reform will ‘fail women' in online safety act row
Angela Rayner has warned Nigel Farage and Reform UK that their plan to scrap online safety laws could "fail a generation of young women" by removing protections against issues such as revenge porn. The Deputy Prime Minister demanded Mr Farage explain how his party would ensure young women's online safety, given Reform's vow to repeal the Online Safety Act. Her warning is the latest in a series of interventions by senior Labour figures regarding the Act. Under rules introduced in late July, the legislation requires online platforms, including social media and search engines, to prevent children from accessing harmful content like pornography or material encouraging suicide. Reform has vowed to repeal the law and replace it with a different means of protecting children online, though the party has not said how it would do this. Among their criticisms of the Act, Mr Farage and his colleagues have cited freedom of speech concerns and claimed the Act is an example of overreach by the Government. This prompted backlash from Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, who claimed people like Jimmy Savile would use the internet to exploit children if he was still alive, and insisted anyone against the Act – like Mr Farage – was 'on their side'. The Reform leader demanded an apology, but ministers have been trenchant in their defence of the Act. Now, the Deputy Prime Minister has questioned how Mr Farage would seek to prevent the 'devastating crime' of intimate image abuse, also known as 'revenge porn', without the Online Safety Act's protections. Ms Rayner claimed: 'Nigel Farage risks failing a generation of young women with his dangerous and irresponsible plans to scrap online safety laws. 'Scrapping safeguards and having no viable alternative plan in place to halt the floodgates of abuse that could open is an appalling dereliction of duty. It's time for Farage to tell women and girls across Britain how he would keep them safe online.' Under the Online Safety Act, revenge porn is classified among the 'most severe online offences', the Deputy PM added. Citing figures from the charity Refuge, the Labour Party claimed a million young women had been subject to revenge porn: either intimate images being shared, or the threat of this. Some 3.4 million adults in total, both men and women, have been affected, Labour also said. Ministers have previously had to defend the Online Safety Act against accusations from Elon Musk's X social media site that it is threatening free speech. In a post at the start of August titled 'What Happens When Oversight Becomes Overreach', the platform formerly known as Twitter outlined criticism of the act and the 'heavy-handed' UK regulators. The Government countered that it is 'demonstrably false' that the Online Safety Act compromises free speech and said it is not designed to censor political debate. Mr Farage has meanwhile suggested there is a 'tech answer' for protecting children online, but neither he nor the Government have outlined one. He also suggested children are too easily able to avoid new online age verification rules by using VPNs (virtual private networks), which allow them to circumvent the rules by masking their identity and location. When Reform UK was approached for comment, its Westminster councillor Laila Cunningham said: 'Women are more unsafe than ever before thanks to Labour. Starmer has released thousands of criminals back onto the streets early with no regard for women's safety. 'I am calling on Jess Phillips to debate me on women's safety – she ignored the grooming gangs scandal and now she's wilfully deceiving voters on this issue. 'Reform will always prioritise prosecuting abuse but will never let women's safety be hijacked to justify censorship. 'You don't protect women by silencing speech. You protect them by securing borders, enforcing the law, and locking up actual criminals, and that is exactly what a Reform government would do.'
The Sun
7 minutes ago
- The Sun
Tech Secretary Peter Kyle reignites war with Nigel Farage by accusing him of putting women at risk
TECH Secretary Peter Kyle has reignited his war with Nigel Farage by accusing him of putting women at risk. He claims the Reform leader's vow to repeal online safety laws would 'rip up' protections against violent misogyny and revenge porn. 2 Mr Kyle sparked a row last month when he alleged Nigel was 'on the side' of paedos like Jimmy Savile. Furious Mr Farage branded the comments 'disgusting' and demanded an apology. But Labour has launched a fresh assault on Mr Farage as he soars in the polls. Both Deputy PM Angela Rayner and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips are attacking him over women's safety. Writing in today's Sun on Sunday, Mr Kyle says: 'When Nigel Farage boasts that he would scrap the Online Safety Act, he's admitting he's happy to leave the internet as a wild west and put women and girls at risk. 'He'd rip up protections that crack down on revenge porn, violent misogynistic content, and posts encouraging self-harm or suicide. 'He would tear down the defences we've built to hold back dangerous content and that would make the police's job much harder.' Zia Yusuf, head of the party's Department of Government Efficiency, said: 'This law is the biggest assault on freedom of expression in this country in our lifetimes. Since the Act came into force what has been censored? "Footage of a protest in Leeds, comments demanding the end of illegal migration, and even biographies of Richard the Lionheart have been removed from social media. Reform party leader Nigel Farage discusses immigration at Westminster press conference 'If this was really about protecting children from predators, why did this law result in the censorship of a speech in Parliament on the grooming gangs?' Mr Yusuf said Reform would pass a law 'fit for purpose'. It comes after Donald Trump's US administration attacked Britain for 'serious restrictions' on free speech. 2 Strangle porn 'rife for kids' By Sophia Sleigh MORE than half of kids have seen strangling in online porn, a shock poll will show this week. Some 58 per cent of 16 to 21-year-olds said they witnessed it when they were younger. Most had it served up to them on their feeds without looking for it. Stronger protections were introduced by Ofcom in July as part of the Online Safety Act. The Government aims to ban strangling porn through its Crime and Policing Bill. Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, who ordered the research, said: 'Pornography is warping children's views of themselves, of each other and of their expectations of sex. 'They are seeing, often by accident, things which are illegal in real life.'
