Latest news with #RolexDaytona
Wales Online
10 hours ago
- Wales Online
This man was known as 'Mr Italy' before his criminal empire fell apart
This man was known as 'Mr Italy' before his criminal empire fell apart The group he was a part of was also linked to large-scale drug supply. Andrew Cooney (Image: GMP ) A man who was found to have benefited from criminal conduct to the value of over £2 million is set to lose his luxury watches and overseas property following proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Andrew Cooney was involved in a criminal group responsible for the largest gun-running conspiracy ever disrupted by UK law enforcement. The group was also linked to large-scale drug supply, Manchester Evening News reports. The gang operated from a flat at Cotton Field Wharf, a residential development in Ancoats Marina where firearms, ammunition, drugs, and large sums of cash were stored. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here A judge previously described the group's activity as criminality on an 'exceptional scale'. The conspiracy involved the distribution of approximately £70 million worth of cocaine and the sale of 48 Skorpion machine pistols across the UK and Ireland, at prices ranging between £9,000 and £15,000 each. Top row, left to right: Andrew Cooney, Daniel Waters, Mohammed Omar Malik and Daniel Gibbons. Bottom row, left to right: Sean Hogan, Conor Sandlan and Adrian Gonzales Cooney, who was referred to as 'Mr Italy' in reference to a property he owned there, was involved in the supply of drugs and firearms and acted as a broker for the group. At his address in Alderley Edge, police recovered a kilogram of cocaine from his Audi A3, along with two Porsche vehicles parked outside. Officers also seized a number of luxury watches, mobile phones, a vacuum packing machine, and paperwork relating to a villa in Italy. In 2023, Cooney was sentenced to 27 years in prison. Following a financial investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act, he was found to have benefited from crime in the amount of £2,376,867.89. However, his available assets were assessed at £32,158.95. This includes a Rolex Daytona watch, an Audemars Piguet watch, and his share in the Italian property. At a hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court on Thursday (May 29), Judge Bernadette Baxter ruled that if the amount is not paid within three months, a further 12 months will be added to Cooney's sentence. Under proceeds of crime legislation, prosecutors can seek to recover the financial benefit of criminal conduct, with funds often directed toward community initiatives. During his trial, Cooney told the court he had worked on a market stall as a teenager, later as a cleaner and youth worker, before moving into property auctions. He said he became involved in drug dealing due to financial pressures. Cooney, 39, of Oakfield Close, Alderley Edge, was found guilty of conspiring to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was acquitted of conspiring to supply amphetamine. Mohammed Omar Malik, aged 33 and of St Mary's Parsonage, Manchester city centre, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to supply cocaine, MDMA, and amphetamine. He was sentenced to 38 years in prison. Daniel Gibbons, 39, of Wordsworth Road, Reddish, Stockport, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to supply cocaine, and conspiracy to supply amphetamine. He was acquitted of conspiracy to supply MDMA and was sentenced to 28 years. Daniel Waters, aged 41 and of Broom Avenue, Reddish, Stockport, was found guilty of conspiring to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life. He received a sentence of 26 years and 6 months in prison. Sean Hogan, 40, of West Park, Denton, Tameside, was found guilty of conspiring to supply firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was also found guilty of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and ketamine. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison. Conor Sandlan, 32, of Redfearn Wood, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess firearms or ammunition with intent to endanger life, as well as conspiracy to supply cocaine, MDMA, and amphetamine. He was sentenced to 30 years and 6 months. Adrian Gonzalez, aged 33 and of City Road East, Manchester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life, and to conspiracy to supply cocaine, MDMA, and amphetamine. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Article continues below
New Paper
2 days ago
- New Paper
Three youths charged over alleged attempted robberies involving Carousell sellers of luxury watches
Three teenagers were charged in court on May 30 over alleged attempts to rob sellers on online marketplace Carousell of luxury watches. The three teenagers, all male and aged between 18 and 19, are accused of being involved in the incidents on May 27 and 28. A fourth youth will remain under investigations for being part of a criminal conspiracy to commit robbery. On May 28, two of the teenagers had arranged to meet a seller they found on Carousell, purportedly to buy from him a luxury watch he had listed for sale - a green and gold Rolex Daytona dubbed "John Mayer", which is valued at around $83,000. At their meet-up point in Clementi Avenue 3, the seller encountered the two teenagers, one of whom was armed with a knife with a 21cm blade. He managed to escape after one of the youths tried to cover his head with a plastic bag. The two were arrested on the same day after the seller made a police report. They each face one charge of armed robbery. During investigations, the police found that the pair had attempted a similar robbery on May 27 with another two teenagers. In the earlier incident, they targeted a different seller who listed the same Rolex Daytona model for sale on Carousell, and met him at the same place in Clementi Avenue 3. The police said the seller on May 27 grew suspicious of the meeting and left before the four youths could rob him. The other two teenagers were arrested on May 28 after investigation officers established their identities. One has been charged with attempted robbery, while the other remains under investigation. All three teenagers will return to court on June 27. Those found guilty of attempted armed robbery can be jailed for up to seven years, and given at least 12 strokes of the cane. Those found guilty of attempted robbery can be jailed for up to seven years and given at least six strokes of the cane. In a statement released on May 29, the police said: "Members of the public who encounter such cases are advised to remain calm, take note of the physical appearance and distinctive features of the perpetrator, and call for the police as soon as possible."
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Three youths charged over alleged attempted robberies involving Carousell sellers of luxury watches
SINGAPORE - Three teenagers were charged in court on May 30 over alleged attempts to rob sellers on online marketplace Carousell of luxury watches. The three teenagers , all male and aged between 18 and 19, are accused of being involved in the incidents on May 27 and 28. A fourth youth will remain under investigations for being part of a criminal conspiracy to commit robbery. On May 28, two of the teenagers had arranged to meet a seller they found on Carousell, purportedly to buy from him a luxury watch he had listed for sale – a green and gold Rolex Daytona dubbed 'John Mayer', which is valued at around $83,000. At their meet-up point in Clementi Avenue 3, the seller encountered the two teenagers, one of whom was armed with a knife with a 21cm blade. He managed to escape after one of the youths tried to cover his head with a plastic bag. The two were arrested on the same day after the seller made a police report. They each face one charge of armed robbery. During investigations, the police found that the pair had attempted a similar robbery on May 27 with another two teenagers. In the earlier incident, they targeted a different seller who listed the same Rolex Daytona model for sale on Carousell, and met him at the same place in Clementi Avenue 3. The police said the seller on May 27 grew suspicious of the meeting and left before the four youths could rob him. The other two teenagers were arrested on May 28 after investigation officers established their identities. One has been charged with attempted robbery, while the other remains under investigation. All three teenagers will return to court on June 27. Those found guilty of attempted armed robbery can be jailed for up to seven years, and given at least 12 strokes of the cane. Those found guilty of attempted robbery can be jailed for up to seven years and given at least six strokes of the cane. In a statement released on May 29, the police said: 'Members of the public who encounter such cases are advised to remain calm, take note of the physical appearance and distinctive features of the perpetrator, and call for the police as soon as possible.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
From Rolex to Cartier: Tom Cruise's luxury watch collection includes a meteorite dial Day-Date 40 for the Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning press tour, Daytonas and a classic Santos de Cartier
Anyone who's watched Tom Cruise sprint across rooftops, cling to an aircraft as it takes off or free fall from the stratosphere knows one thing for sure: the man never misses a beat. And when it comes to style , that precision holds true – especially on his wrist. Say what you will about the Hollywood action titan's idiosyncrasies, but Cruise's taste in timepieces cannot be denied. Tom Cruise, seen here at the Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning premiere in New York on May 18, is an avid luxury watch collector. Photo: Reuters From crème de la crème Cartiers to just-released Rolexes – including at least two that are quite literally from out of this world – here's a closer look at some of the most lust-worthy, collector-coveted watches in Tom Cruise's line-up. Rolex Daytona Platinum Tom Cruise owns a number of Rolex Daytonas. Photo: Handout Advertisement The Rolex Daytona is already considered holy grail tier in the watch world – but trust Cruise to take it a step further. One of his latest additions appears to be the ultra-covetable Rolex Daytona Platinum. It's essentially the Daytona turned up to 11: made from ultra-luxurious platinum, finished with an icy blue dial, and topped off with a chestnut brown Cerachrom bezel. Cruise already owned a few coveted Daytonas – including the classic 'Panda' and a rare meteorite-dial version – but this platinum model puts him ahead of the curve, especially as the appetite for platinum wrist candy continues to grow. Good luck spotting this on anyone else's wrist. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona with meteorite dial Tom Cruise has a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in his collection, although his white gold version has a meteorite dial. Photo: Handout Also in his collection is a heaven-sent white gold Cosmograph Daytona featuring a meteorite dial, crafted from an actual meteor that crash-landed in Namibia during prehistoric times. The material is sliced thin, then polished and chemically treated to reveal its natural crystalline pattern, meaning no two dials are ever alike. Rolex Day-Date 40 with meteorite dial A meteorite-dial Rolex Day-Date 40 was Tom Cruise's choice when promoting his latest Mission: Impossible film. Photo: Handout It seems Cruise has a thing for cosmic timepieces – he was also spotted wearing his (inter)stellar meteorite-dial Rolex Day-Date 40 during the press tour for the latest Mission: Impossible movie, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. Crafted from 18k white gold, it features the same sort of one-of-a-kind dial with naturally occurring Widmanstätten patterns, this time paired with a commanding President bracelet, fluted bezel and 10 baguette-cut diamond hour markers. It's rare, it's expensive, and it's exactly the kind of high-impact statement piece you'd expect from Cruise. Rolex Land-Dweller
NBC News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC News
A rare platinum Rolex is heading to auction and could fetch $1.7 million
A legendary timepiece is about to step into the spotlight. A 1999 platinum Rolex Daytona is heading to auction on Sunday at Sotheby's Geneva, and could sell for up to $1.7 million. The watch is made from platinum, a material Rolex did not use on Daytona models until 2013. Its face is mother-of-pearl, set with 10 diamonds. Unlike nearly every other Rolex on the market, it was not part of a standard collection. It was privately commissioned, custom-made for a client — something almost unheard of for Rolex. 'It's very unusual to come across a commission,' said Pedro Reiser, senior watch specialist at Sotheby's. 'There are other brands which might be more flexible and do these kinds of exercises, maybe on a regular basis — but not in the space of Rolex pieces where you barely can come across any commission whatsoever.' Only four of these watches are known to exist, made for the same family, each with a different dial. The watch heading to the auction block is the last one to be sold. The others have already gone for massive prices, topping $3 million. There is big hype around this small work of metal. It is believed to have been created under the leadership of Patrick Heiniger, Rolex's CEO from 1992 to 2008. He ran the company during a time of major growth and secrecy and helped turn Rolex from a respected watch brand into a global luxury icon. While rumors have swirled that Heiniger personally commissioned or wore a similar platinum Daytona, Reiser cautions that there is no confirmed link to this watch. 'That's more of a rumor,' Reiser said. 'Personally, I've never seen him with this piece, but I know that he used to love platinum watches — mainly Day-Date models. It's a nice story that accompanies the watch, but I think it's more of a myth.' The fact that Rolex made a platinum Daytona in 1999, long before it introduced platinum models publicly in 2013, is a major part of the watch's mystique. 'Back then, they only existed in stainless steel, yellow gold and white gold,' Reiser said. 'Having a platinum — the only known platinum Zenith Daytona — is very special.' This particular model stands apart even from its siblings. 'This is the only one that has a diamond-set dial,' Reiser said. 'The others had dark mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli and turquoise stone dials, but no diamonds.' As more people, especially wealthy collectors and younger buyers, increasingly see rare watches as investments, the prices of these rare timepieces have climbed. According to Knight Frank's latest index, watches have jumped more than 125% in value over the past decade, ranking them among the top-performing luxury investments, just behind rare whisky and high-end designer furniture. Even after a slight cooling, with prices rising only 1.7% over the past year, the five-year growth rate for watches of 52.7% signals the category remains a reliable long-term play. Demand has only broadened, with more international buyers and a wave of under-30 collectors entering the market, Reiser said.
