Officers recover first 'ghost gun' and ammunition as drug dealer jailed
A drug dealer, Veke Koissia Soumahoro, has been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison after being found in possession of a 'ghost gun' and significant quantities of crack cocaine and heroin. The arrest, made by the County Lines Team in Bolton, marks the first recovery of a 'ghost gun' by Greater Manchester Police (GMP). The firearm, made from a kit with untraceable parts, was found alongside drugs worth £28,500 and a drugs line valued at £183,150. Soumahoro pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including possession of a firearm and intent to supply Class A drugs. The investigation also revealed that over 1.8kg of drugs had been distributed in Bolton between February and November 2024. GMP emphasized the importance of public cooperation in combating drug-related crime and highlighted the success of their County Lines operation, which has led to numerous arrests and seizures since 2022.
Bolton Drug Dealer Jailed After Police Seize ‘Ghost Gun’ and £28,500 Worth of Drugs
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison after police discovered a cache of drugs and an untraceable ‘ghost gun’ at his Bolton home. Veke Koissia Soumahoro, of Mornington Road, was arrested by Greater Manchester Police’s County Lines Team in November 2024 following an investigation into a drug operation branded ‘Scouse Paul’.
Officers recovered approximately £28,500 worth of crack cocaine and heroin from the property, along with a Polymer80 ‘ghost gun’ - the first such weapon seized by GMP. The firearm, assembled from a kit containing parts with no serial numbers, is virtually untraceable and can be constructed using components purchased separately or even produced with a 3D printer.
The investigation revealed that Soumahoro’s drug line had distributed over 1.8kg of Class A drugs throughout Bolton between February and November 2024, with an estimated street value of £183,150. He pleaded guilty to six charges including possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition without a certificate, and multiple drug supply offences at Bolton Crown Court on Tuesday.
Detective Constable Daniel Woodburn of the County Lines Team said the operation had removed both a significant drug supply network and a dangerous weapon from the streets. Since September 2022, GMP’s County Lines operation has executed 155 warrants, arrested 390 individuals, and seized 106kg of drugs while securing approximately 850 years of prison sentences for offenders.
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