Pair jailed after police stop Ford Ranger on M1 and find firearms inside
Officers from Nottinghamshire Police were patrolling the M1 when they spotted a suspected cloned vehicle near Trowell services. The truck, a Ford Ranger, then failed to stop and, following a short pursuit, the truck crashed into a lorry. Police then arrested the driver, Shera Virk, 24, and the only passenger, Joseph Steele, 34, and found a black case containing three firearms and ammunition.
This led police[1] to investigate the pair's whereabouts before they were stopped. They found that they had travelled from Warwickshire to Sheffield earlier that day to pick up the weapons. The pair were on their way back when they were arrested.
Steele, of Brewery Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, was jailed for nine years at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, February 28. Virk, of Golf Lane, Whitnash, Warwickshire, was jailed for eight years. The pair were convicted of possession of firearms and possession of ammunition following a three-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court.
Virk, the driver of the vehicle, was also convicted of dangerous driving. These arrests then later led to nine other offenders being identified in relation to a conspiracy to manufacture and supply firearms to Virk and Steele.
The firearms seized after the M1 traffic stop (Image: Nottinghamshire Police)Detective Constable Amelia Hicklin of Nottinghamshire Police said: "The initial stop by operational support officers was an extremely impressive piece of proactive police work. Their alertness and skill on duty allowed us to apprehend these two suspects and take dangerous weapons off the streets and out of harm's way.
"It also prompted a robust and wider investigation with colleagues from other forces.
Thankfully, firearms offences are extremely rare in Nottinghamshire and we are proactive in our efforts to take these weapons off the streets and keep the public safe from the devastating consequences of gun crime."