Two members of north Manchester OCG jailed for firearms offences

Two people linked to a north Manchester organised crime group have been jailed after guns and ammunition were found in a loft.

Joseph Jonathan Mulenga and Jamie Leigh Cunningham are the final two to be dealt with in court as part of Operation Approach that targeted the Waterloo Gang in March 2021.

Mulenga (25/1/2002), of Bellott Street, Cheetham Hill, and Cunningham, of Rochdale Road, Harpurhey, had both had pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition at a previous hearing.

Mulenga was jailed for five years when he was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on 17 January 2023, while Cunningham was sent to prison for 18 months. Both sentences were for possession of a firearm.

Both defendants were also handed concurrent sentences for possession of a firearm without a certificate, while Mulenga was given a four-month concurrent term for possession of ammunition.

Detective Inspector Simon Akker, of GMP's Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: "Today's sentence not only takes a dangerous criminal off the streets but resulted in the seizure of two weapons.

"GMP will relentlessly pursue these crime gangs that are a blight on society and make people's lives a misery.

"Mulenga was associated with the Waterloo gang, which had been in dispute with two OCGs, one in north Manchester and one in Salford, that resulted in a number of firearms being discharged and young men being seriously assaulted and stabbed, resulting in life-changing injuries.

"Other criminality included attempted murder, assault, aggravated burglary, criminal damage and robbery.

"On 30 August 2020 an address associated to Mulenga was targeted by gunmen firing two shots but hitting a next-door neighbour's premises."

On Tuesday 17 March 2021, acting on intelligence provided as part of Operation Approach, a firearms warrant was executed at Cunningham's home address and officers recovered two shotguns and more than 100 cartridges.

In police interview, Cunningham told officers that Mulenga had taken the guns to her address in a taxi. Mulenga was arrested in July 2021 with his DNA linking him to the weapons.

DI Akker added: "Operation Approach was a targeted operation in conjunction with officers in north Manchester and Salford that has led to the arrest of several key members of the Waterloo Gang, a north Manchester Organised Crime Group (OCG).

"Together they targeted those members of the OCG who were suspected of being actively involved in violent crimes and drug-related activity.

"This OCG was involved in many firearms discharges - from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 was a particularly intense period when 26 discharges were recorded in the area. This had a huge impact on the victims and the community.

"In March 2021, 14 people were arrested and officers also recovered two firearms and ammunition, as well as over 8kg of Class A and B drugs.

"In addition, two stolen vehicles and more than £150,000 of criminal cash were seized."