Three men jailed after shotgun found wrapped in a rug by Sheffield firearms officers

Three men involved in the movement of a shotgun wrapped in a rug through Sheffield have been jailed after a police sting.

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As part of the operation, firearms officers spotted a rug, in which the shotgun had been concealed, being picked up in a taxi near Ironside Place, Gleadless Valley, Sheffield, between April 27 and 28, 2023.

Ikhlaas Hussain, aged 24, of Station Road, Darnall, Sheffield, was identified as being in the vehicle.

The rug and shotgun were later moved from the taxi into a waiting Volkswagen T-Roc. Mohammed Meah, 35, of Wilfred Drive, Darnall, Sheffield, and Adil Hussain, 30, of Duchy Avenue, Bradford, were inside the VW.

The vehicle was stopped with both Meah and Adil Hussain attempted to flee from officers. Both were quickly detained and taken into custody.

Ikhlaas Hussain was later arrested on May 5, 2023, after officers raided his home.

All three men pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in public at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday, January 29, 2024. Meah and Ikhlaas Hussain also pleaded guilty to possession of the Class B drug, cannabis.

During her remarks at sentencing, Judge Sarah Wright said "the gravity of gun crime cannot be exaggerated", adding that "guns cause untold harm and devastation".

She also said: "It is a stark reminder that the use of cannabis can lead individuals into serious offending."

She sentenced Meah to one year and 10 months in prison; Ikhlaas Hussain received a sentence of two years and two months in prison; and Adil Hussain was jailed for one year and 11 months.

Detective Constable Hannah Bryan, who was the officer in charge of the case, said: "This investigation saw the recovery of a viable firearm and suitable ammunition from inside the vehicle, which was no doubt intended for criminal use.

"Across South Yorkshire we are continuing to work extremely hard to identify opportunities like this to find those people who carry firearms illegally, prosecute them, and take these dangerous weapons off the streets.

"I hope that the sentencing of these three individuals goes some way to reassuring the public just how committed we are to this cause."