Luton organised crime group jailed for more than 110 years for running drugs supply business
Twelve members of a Luton based organised crime group have been sentenced to more than 110 years in prison for running a multi-million pound drugs conspiracy.
The group ran a complex and large scale operation supplying heroin across the country, with drugs supply networks based in Luton, London, and Sussex.
They were arrested by officers from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs from July to September 2017.
During that period it is believed the group supplied around 30 kilograms of heroin, with police seizing 11 kilograms of heroin and one kilogram of cocaine.
Eight of the group were jailed for a total of 86 years and 10 months following appearances at Kingston Crown Court on Friday 10 May and Wednesday 15 May.
Mohammed Irfan Khan, 35, of Dunstable Road, Luton; Mohammed Khalid, 34, of Chester Avenue, Luton, and Farrukh Khokar, 48, Brunswick Road, Ealing, were the ring leaders of the group. Their roles including organising the buying and selling of Class A drugs on a commercial scale, as well as directing others within the chain.
Khan and Khalid both pleaded guilty to the offences and were sentenced to 18 years and 10 months and 15 years in prison respectively. Khokar was convicted following a trial and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Khan is already serving a 25 year prison sentence after being jailed in November 2018 for playing a similar role in a cocaine supply business.
Salat Dini, 33, of Thetford Close, London; Surinder Kumar, 36, of Imberhorne Lane, East Grinstead, and Aaron Whipp, 35, of Harper Drive, Maidenbower, were also heavily involved in leading the conspiracy as well as arranging for the onward distribution of the drugs.
They were sentenced to seven, 11, and 10 years respectively after being convicted following a trial.
Suhail Malik, 39, of Maidenhall Road, Luton, and Imran Hussain, 33, of Kingsway, Luton, were couriers within the group, responsible for taking quantities of heroin from one place to another.
Malik pleaded guilty and was jailed for six years, while Hussain was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted following a trial.
Four other men involved in the organised crime group were sentenced at earlier court hearings for their part in the conspiracy after being convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Iftab Hussain, 35, of Beechwood Road, Slough, received nine and a half years; Omar Lobban, 40, of Finchley Road, Birmingham, was jailed for seven years; Safraz Khan, 32, of no known abode, was sentenced to five years and seven months, while Michael Archer, 50, of Chalvey Road East, Slough, was sentenced to one and a half years.
Detective Inspector Trevor Davidson, senior investigating officer, said: “This was a protracted investigation into an organised crime group which was operating an established drugs supply network, dealing import quality heroin on a commercial scale.
“Thanks to the hard work of our officers and our cutting edge capabilities, we were able to unpick the conspiracy and a dangerous and top end drug dealing group have now been taken off the streets for a very long time.
“Tackling the importation and supply of Class A drugs across the eastern region is one of our priorities, and we will continue to use our specialist capabilities to bring serious and organised criminals such as these to justice.”