Pietro Menga, a professional in MMA known as “The Italian Stallion,” has been sentenced to 15 years and five months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiracy to supply c*caine. Menga was briefly signed to the UFC – but was released immedietly upon failing to make weight and never ended up competing in the promotion.
The 37-year-old from Mount Street, Swinton, led a double life as a middleman for an organized crime group while competing professionally in mixed martial arts. Authorities determined that Menga was directly involved in sourcing large quantities of c*caine for customers across the region, earning commission on these transactions.
Greater Manchester Police first identified Menga in 2020 after the National Crime Agency infiltrated EncroChat, an encrypted messaging platform used by criminals. Detectives from the Serious Organised Crime Group analyzed thousands of messages detailing dr*g deals, firearms sales, and assassination attempts.
Investigators were able to link Menga to the anonymous handle “wirelessshark” after he inadvertently revealed personal details in his communications, including information about his girlfriend, knee injuries from his fighting career, and his home gym.
Dr*g experts estimated the street value of the narcotics Menga was involved with ranged between approximately $610,000 to $773,000. Messages recovered from his encrypted phone also revealed his connections to an organized crime group responsible for a record-breaking firearms trafficking operation. In one message, Menga referred to Skorpion automatic machine guns as a “tastey bit of kit” that are “always good for a rainy day,” noting that ammunition was included.
Police executed a warrant at Menga’s home on January 15, 2024, leading to his arrest.
Detective Constable Shiels from the Serious Organised Crime Group stated: “Menga, like many criminals before him, thought he was hiding behind a secure communications system. Instead, he created his own evidence trail that has led them straight to jail. The level that Menga operated at showed he clearly had an established list of criminal contacts, one which will have been built over several years under the radar, facilitated by the use of EncroChat.”
Menga’s case was part of Operation Foam, Greater Manchester Police’s response to the nationwide EncroChat takedown. The operation has resulted in over 300 arrests and sentences totaling more than 1,000 years for criminals who believed they were untouchable. The investigation has prevented significant quantities of dr*gs, firearms, and thousands of rounds of ammunition from reaching the streets.
Authorities have emphasized that Operation Foam is ongoing, with more warrants and investigations planned to continue targeting criminal networks in Greater Manchester.
