5 days ago
‘Rapper' parrot playing with cash helps cops bring down drug gang: ‘Are you sure the bird's not the ringleader?'
A talking parrot named Mango helped bring down a huge drug gang after it was found squawking drug-dealing slang in a video. UK cops found recordings of the parrot repeating cocaine prices among the evidence, which led to the gang members being jailed for over 103 years. The parrot named Mango, whose squawking helped cops convict a massive drug gang in the UK. (Facebook/Lancashire Police)
'What's the most talented thing your pet can do? Sit? Give paw? How about speak?' Lancashire Police wrote on Facebook. Adding about the drug dealer's parrot, Mango, the police explained how it helped the cops to bust the gang.
How did the parrot help the cops?
Mango was seen rapping 'two for 25' in videos, which the police found after raiding the house of the bird's owner, Shannon Hilton. The cops say that the phrase is a 'part of common language used by the organised crime gang,' that the owner's boyfriend, Adam Garnett, ran.
'Not a phrase you want your parrot squawking when the police come knocking!'
During the bust, the police also discovered several videos, one of which shows Hilton teaching Mango to say the phrase in front of a child.
The successful bust resulted in fourteen people being jailed for 'a total of more than 103 years.'
What led to the drug bust?
'As Mango the parrot played with illegally gained money, the gang members rapped about their drug dealing, boasting of their criminal exploits. The leader of the gang, Adam Garnett was already serving a 15-year prison sentence when a number of phones and wifi routers were found in his cell. Following enquiries after this find, Garnett's second-in-command associates were identified as Dalbir Sandhu, Shannon Hilton and Jason Gerrand,' the department wrote.
Upon searching their houses, the cops found 'Cash, heroin, crack cocaine, ketamine and cannabis, plus mobile phones.'
Here's a video of Mango playing with cash:
Social media is in stitches:
An individual joked, 'How do we know the parrot wasn't in charge? He's clearly holding the money.' Echoing the same sentiment, another joined, 'See that's what they want you to think, the parrot is in charge of the whole operation.'
A third posted, 'Will the parrot go into witness protection if he gives evidence?' A fourth wrote, 'Parrots are the perfect crime companions, especially African greys, with a potential lifespan of up to 100 years with proper care, a ten stretch is nothing to them.'
Authorities on the bust:
'These people ran a sophisticated operation to supply class A drugs across Blackpool. Garnett continued to run his operation whilst in prison, communicating with the members of his organised crime gang through illegal methods,' said DS Anthony Alves of West Targeted Crime Team in a police statement.
'Successful outcomes like this demonstrate officers' tireless work to protect the public and show that Lancashire is taking a relentless approach to tackling organised crime. I remain fully committed to supporting the Chief Constable, ensuring our officers and staff have the resources they need to dismantle criminal gangs, drive offenders out of our communities, and deliver justice,' said Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner.
