Taxi Driver jailed for Role in Cocaine & Firearms Gang

Birmingham taxi driver Safdar Pervez was jailed for 11 years for his role in a gang which peddled cocaine and firearms across the north of England.

The 57-year-old was among four members who were jailed following a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation.

Pervez acted as a trusted courier for the gang and operated under perceived darkness behind his ‘Satanicgate’ EncroChat handle.

The group was led by Carl O’Flaherty, who was jailed for over 17 years in 2023.

His criminal enterprise was foiled as part of Operation Venetic, the NCA-led UK response to the infiltration and takedown of encrypted communications platform EncroChat.

Between 2019 and late 2020, the group purchased large quantities of cocaine as well as chemicals required to make amphetamine.

The drugs and chemicals were taken to addresses in Leeds and Bradford where gang members, referred to as “chefs”, would produce amphetamine and adulterate the cocaine for onward supply.

On January 7, 2025, four members were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty of drug supply offences.

Pervez transported large quantities of drugs and tens of thousands of pounds across the north of England.

One of the taxi driver’s regular trips was to County Durham to deliver diluted cocaine to Daryll Hall, one of O’Flaherty’s top customers.

Pervez was jailed for 11 years.

Hall was sentenced to 15 years in his absence having absconded before the start of November’s trial. Work to locate him and bring him into custody is ongoing.

Michal Stanislawczuk, also known by his EncroChat handles ‘Sizabelarm’ and ‘Polishshaman’, was jailed for 12 years for his role as a ‘chef’.

This included an unsuccessful attempt to extract cocaine dissolved in 37 litres of oil.

Another of the gang’s chefs, David Brierley, from Leeds, produced amphetamine and was unmasked as the user behind EncroChat handle ‘Kingchef-uk’. He was jailed for 12 years and six months.

Speaking after the case, NCA Operations Manager Nigel Coles said:

“Our complex and extensive investigation has brought down every member of this dangerous criminal network, from the mastermind behind the conspiracy to couriers transporting both firearms and drugs across the north of England.

“Lengthy custodial sentences have been given to all the ten members of this organised crime group and the investigation has stopped significant quantities of harmful drugs reaching our communities, together with the seizure of deadly firearms.

“At the NCA we are committed to our mission of protecting the public from serious and organised crime, and in dismantling this network we have made our communities a safer place to live.”