A drugs and money laundering gang smashed by police was led by a fugitive kingpin who called himself 'Pablo Picasso', boasting that he was a 'cocaine artist'. Warren Barnes, 38, was on the run for four-and-a-half years, living the high life in Dubai, Spain and Canada, while continuing to direct his criminal network back in the UK.
Barnes and two associates – father and son Paul and Adam Taylor – have now been locked up following a sentencing hearing at Manchester Crown Court.
How the gang was uncovered
Greater Manchester Police said Barnes pulled the strings from abroad, using 'trusted associates' to oversee drug supply and move cash around the region. In May 2023, officers on the Salford Challenger team executed a warrant at Paul Taylor's home. The 49-year-old admitted there were drugs inside.
Police found 182g of cocaine, more than 3kg of cannabis, £5,000 in cash, scales and snap bags. The drugs seized had an estimated street value of over £45,000. Examination of a mobile phone revealed Paul Taylor had used encrypted communication platforms with the username 'Del Boy'. Detectives established he was in regular contact with Barnes, who used the username 'Pablo Picasso'.
Messages revealed the scale of the operation
Barnes referred to himself as a 'cocaine artist'. Messages proved he directed Paul Taylor to supply class A and B drugs and manage finances, and told him how to run cannabis farms while he was out of the country. Paul Taylor, GMP added, roped in his son Adam, who was involved in the cultivation and maintenance of cannabis plants.
In November 2023, cops spotted Adam Taylor in a vehicle in Salford. A search led them to a weed farm, where drugs with an estimated value of £26,675 were seized. Analysis of his phone showed he was involved in the supply of cocaine, cannabis and ketamine.
Arrest and sentencing
Barnes was arrested in August last year after being stopped in Bolton, having spent four-and-a-half years on the run. He had failed to answer bail in relation to a conspiracy to produce cannabis charge dating back to 2015. Three mobile phones were seized from Barnes, two of which were encrypted. It transpired he had spent time in Dubai, Spain and Canada while continuing to direct his underlings.
In total, Barnes is thought to have been responsible for 'orchestrating the supply' of around 11kg of cocaine and about 159kg of cannabis. Debtor lists, evidence of cryptocurrency transactions 'used to launder criminal proceeds', and images of his swanky life on the run were also found.
Police Constable Brown, of GMP's Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: "This investigation exposed an organised crime group that relied heavily on trusted associates to facilitate the large-scale supply of illegal drugs and the laundering of criminal profits. Despite spending years outside the UK, Barnes continued to direct offending from abroad, believing distance and encrypted communications would protect him from law enforcement. He was wrong. The evidence gathered by investigators clearly demonstrated the scale of this operation and the roles played by those involved. Drug trafficking fuels violence, exploitation and misery within our communities. Through the dedication of officers and partner agencies, this group has now been dismantled and those responsible have been brought to justice."
Barnes, 38, of no fixed address, was jailed for 10 years and six months for two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs (cocaine); two counts of being concerned in the supply of class B drugs (cannabis); one count of possession of a class A drug; one count of conspiring to produce a class B drug; one count of being concerned in the movement of money; and one count of possessing criminal property.
Paul Taylor, 49, of Swinton, Salford, was jailed for five years three months for one count of possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis; one count of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis; one count of being concerned in the production of cannabis; one count of being concerned in the movement of money; and one count of possessing criminal property.
Adam Taylor, 25, of Peel Green Road, Eccles, Salford, was jailed for three years for one count of being concerned in the supply of cocaine, cannabis and ketamine; one count of being concerned in the production of cannabis; and one count of possession with intent to supply cannabis.
