Dealers planned to ‘whack’ rival using hand grenades delivered to Wakefield

Drug dealers who tried to buy hand grenades and have them delivered to an address in Wakefield planned to use them against a rival.
By Nick Frame
Published 10th Jul 2023, 18:33 GMT
Updated 12th Jul 2023, 10:48 GMT
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Jack Downend, 21, and Richard Jawadnass, 22, were arrested and charged with attempting to acquire an explosive substance with intent to endanger life as the result of an intelligence-led operation carried out by officers from the National Crime Agency in July 2022.

The pair, both from Barnsley, had attempted to source the US-made M67 fragmentation grenades online.

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Messages found on their phones by NCA investigators following their arrest showed them discussing buying various weapons to settle a drugs feud, before arranging for the grenades to be shipped to the address in Wakefield.

Jawadnass (left) and Downend were both jailed today. (pic by NCA)Jawadnass (left) and Downend were both jailed today. (pic by NCA)
Jawadnass (left) and Downend were both jailed today. (pic by NCA)

In one conversation Jawadnass said he wanted to “whack my man bad”, while Downend encouraged him not to rush, saying “move smart with it…needs to be done properly”.