How Manchester drug kingpin dubbed ‘Cocaine Picasso’ was brought down by bombshell texts to his own mother-in-law

LOUNGING on the deck of a yacht in Dubai, a kingpin on the run had no idea his six-figure drug empire was about to come crashing down. Warren Barnes, 38, had been masterminding the supply of Class A and B drugs in Manchester from Dubai, Canada and Spain, after fleeing while on bail for a cannabis charge in 2020. Warren Barnes and his wife Jade were living the high life abroad on profits from his drug empire Credit: GMP The couple also enjoyed time at beach clubs like Nikki Beach Credit: GMP Cops found cash and drugs when they raided the home of his mother-in-law and her partner Credit: GMP He’d self-styled as “Pablo Picasso, the cocaine artist” online – likening the 20th Century painter’s skills with the paint brush with his knack for narcotics. He had pulled the strings on his criminal enterprise from afar, sending instructions to his mother-in-law and her partner to run his narcotics empire selling cocaine and cannabis. But when Barnes’ mother-in-law’s flat was raided after intelligence about drug dealing, cops saw a picture of Barnes marrying his wife Jade – and they connected the dots. He had previously served a sentence for his involvement in selling cannabis in Salford back in 2012. Barnes had spent decades on the police’s radar due to his affiliation with notorious Manchester gang, the Anti-A Team. As its name suggests, the group was in a long-standing feud with an organised drug gang dubbed the A-Team. Their bloody tit-for-tat feud over control of Manchester’s drug trade saw a series of drive-by shootings, machete attacks – and eventually the murder of gangland boss Paul Massey in 2015. Police considered the gang war so violent they looked at calling in negotiators from Northern Ireland to stem the bloodshed. Barnes was said to be allied with the Anti-A Team, and this affiliation led to him being hauled up in court. In 2020, Barnes admitted to growing cannabis as part of his defence while on trial as a co-defendant for conspiring to murder rival gang members. Barnes’ co-defendant, the “Iceman” Mark Fellows, who was convicted of the murder of Paul Massey, was found guilty on both counts. Barnes was acquitted by a jury of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent but was then charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis. He then fled the country while on bail and started running his drugs empire from abroad, managing to keep it going for four and a half years. Greater Manchester Police built up a case against the self-titled kingpin after raiding the home of his mother-in-law Georgina Edmondson and her partner Paul Taylor in Swinton, Greater Manchester, in 2023. Inside the small two-bed ground-floor flat they found cocaine, cannabis and £5,000 in cash alongside phones which used an encrypted chat for Barnes to issue orders from abroad. DS Daniel Worthington told The Sun: “Barnes is known to police and in the flat we saw a photo of him and his wife from their wedding so we suspected he might have some involvement. Barnes took a convoluted route to get back into the UK Credit: Supplied Barnes was a co-defendant of Mark Fellows, charged with conspiracy to murder Credit: MEN Media Fellows had already been convicted of the murder of Paul Massey, aka Salford’s Mr Big Credit: MEN Media Barnes enjoying his luxury life in Dubai with his wife Jade Credit: GMP “He’d been charged back in 2020 after confessing to growing cannabis under oath and then fled the country. “Once we got into the phones it was really clear that this was a family operation with Barnes at the head of it. “We also saw that he was living this lifestyle abroad, going on yachts, living in huge villas while the people actually running the drugs weren’t enjoying any of those luxury things.” Barnes communicated under the username “Pablo Picasso” while Taylor, 49, used “Del Boy” and cops even found a miniature yellow Robin Reliance Trotters van on the dashboard of the vehicle he drove. DS Worthington added: “He thought he was a bit of a wheeler dealer.” And it was texts from Barnes’ wife that confirmed police suspicions were correct. Following the warrant on her mum’s house in 2023, Jade texted a friend lamenting her mum’s phone would show it was a “big family operation” and that the group were “f***ed” as her mum never deleted a single message. Barnes was sending instructions to Taylor and Edmondson on encrypted chat platform Signal about where drugs needed to be sent, where he wanted cash to go and other operational commands for their six-figure drug empire. “They were making hundreds of thousands of pounds, and most of that money was not staying with the family in Manchester,” DS Worthington said. “Barnes had written a note on his phone titled ‘Manifest’ in which he said he wanted to be a millionaire by December 2024. He’d written it in April. “He also boasted about owning a number of Rolex watches, and wanting to have a Richard Mille watch, his dream car and a massive new house. “Barnes also noted his health and his family were both good.” Richard Mille watches are worth in excess of £100,000. Months after the raid, over-confident Barnes and his wife returned to Manchester. Jade likely flew straight into the country as she wasn’t wanted by police. Barnes has been jailed for multiple crimes to ten years and six months Credit: GMP His wife Jade is due to be sentenced for money laundering in September having pleaded guilty Credit: GMP Jade Barnes messaged a friend after the raid on her mum’s house Credit: Supplied Jade’s mum’s phone also had instructions on it from Barnes for moving drugs Credit: Supplied Barnes instead took the long route, flying into the Republic of Ireland where his landing wouldn’t be flagged to police. Then he crossed the border into Northern Ireland and took a ferry to England. It’s a route cops say is often used by criminals as it allows them to avoid detection. Barnes managed to stay under the radar living in Greater Manchester before being nicked in Bolton. “He was driving a car linked to him when we picked him up,” DS Worthington said. “Barnes had three phones on him when he was arrested and he seemed really shocked we’d got him. “He knew he was wanted for the cannabis charge but the more serious charges, he had no idea. I think he thought he should clear up that outstanding cannabis charge and had no idea we’d got so much evidence on the cocaine. “Barnes and his wife were living a high life abroad, spending his money on expensive, lifetime pieces and luxury boat trips and things like that, travelling around the world. “They’d rented a big villa in Spain with a pool and a sauna. “But back in the UK, his mother-in-law and her partner were living the opposite life. They were in a cramped ground-floor flat with barely any space to do anything. “So all the money being made from the drugs was clearly going to Barnes. “He referred to himself as a kingpin and was doing the best he could to keep away from the day to day operations but take the most money.” The operation was led by Police Constable Brown who spent two years following the trail from Taylor and Edmondson to tie Barnes to the drug dealing which is thought to have spanned the country. “If it wasn’t for his determination, I think Barnes would have gotten away from us again,” DS Worthington added. Cops found a note on Barnes’ phone setting out his goals for the reast of the year Credit: GMP Cops believe Barnes was making six figures from the drug empire without ever touching the products Credit: GMP Jade sent videos to family and friends showing off her luxury villas Credit: GMP POLICE The couple spent their ill-gotten gains on a lavish lifestyle abroad Credit: GMP POLICE Barnes was handed ten years and six months in jail for a variety of offences including supply of Class A and Class B drugs. Taylor was given five years and three months in prison, and his son Adam got three years. Edmondson was handed a 21-month sentence, suspended for two years. Jade is due to be sentenced on September 30 after she pleaded guilty to money laundering. Police Constable Brown, of the 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.”