The Midlands crime gang who created 'assassination kits' - and how police tracked them down
A crime gang who made "assassination kits" containing handguns and silencers were busted after an extensive police investigation.
Four men are awaiting sentence after armed officers swooped on the operation and discovered tools and machinery for making viable firearms.
Ronald Knowles, of Milton Avenue in Alfreton, Derbyshire, acquired blank-firing handguns and ammunition, which he then altered so they could fire live bullets.
Police say he was part of a "well-established and far-reaching criminal enterprise".
Gary Hardy, of The Birches, Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, organised and controlled the supply of these "assassination kits", police said.
Each kit was individually packaged containing a handgun, silencer, magazine and ammunition wrapped in latex gloves.
These were then sent to Steven Houston, of Breach Oak Lane, Corley, Warwickshire, who supplied these weapons to members of the criminal underworld.
These included a known criminal, Jason Hill, of Derby Road, Risley, Derbyshire. Officers raided Hill's house where they found two handguns, two silencers and ammunition in a safe hidden in the garden.
"They were creating, packaging, and distributing firearms that were designed to kill, there is no doubt about this," Detective Chief Inspector Mark Adas, from Nottinghamshire Police, said, adding that evidence revealed at least 33 firearms had been manufactured in Knowles' factory.
"Each handgun had been threaded to fit a silencer, which allowed the gun to be used discreetly at close quarters, meaning any potential targets would be lucky to escape with their lives."
Each assassination kit included 10 rounds of converted ammunition and the seizure of more than 800 blank firing rounds and nearly 800 lead pellets indicated the group had the potential to supply up to 80 further firearms packages.
DCI Adas said the men had no idea police were "tracing their every step" to build a case against them.
"The full impact of this investigation will never be seen - that's because we are unable to count the number of lives we may have saved," he added.
In August 2023, after lengthy investigation, police stopped a vehicle in Measham, Leicestershire. Inside, they found a white box containing four of the "assassination kits".
Detectives linked the guns to both Hardy and Knowles and swooped on Knowles' property, where they say he was found in his back garden setting fire to evidence.
Knowles, 64, pleaded guilty to conspiracy with others to sell or transfer a firearm, conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life or enable another person to do so, and conspiracy with others to convert a thing into a firearm.
Hardy, 61, was found guilty of conspiracy with others to sell or transfer a firearm, conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life or enable another person to do so, and conspiracy with others to convert a thing into a firearm.
Houston, 64, was found guilty of conspiracy with others to sell or transfer a firearm, conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life or enable another person to do so, and conspiracy with others to convert a thing into a firearm.
Hill, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent by means thereof to endanger life or to enable another person by means thereof to endanger life.
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