Jail for gang who ran drug-dealing operation in Walsall
Four men who ran a drug-dealing racket in Walsall have been jailed.
Jabbar Nadeem, Zubair Mehmood, Rohail Ali and Fida Butt were jailed for a total of 27 years, for their part in supplying Class A drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
West Midlands Police say they think their drug racket operated across Walsall between July 2022 and January 2023.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how the four men were stopped by police in their cars across Walsall, after a warrant at an address in Oldbury Road in Rowley Regis in October 2023.
It found drug line phones linking the gang to the drugs line.
Officers then stopped the drug dealer cars on Bloxwich Lane, Bentley Lane, Miner Street, Darlaston Road and Stafford Street, between October and December 2022.
Police seized phones and drugs and made arrests after the stops, and started building a case which showed that the gang had been operating across the area.
They examined the phones and went to stores where they had been topped up, to gather CCTV evidence linking the suspects to the phones.
The phones were used for clients to order drugs and to communicate with each other.
Police also searched the gang’s home addresses and found drugs scales, paperwork connecting them to the phone line, and a large amount of cash.
The men all gave a "no comment" interview in custody and pleaded not guilty at court, and were sentenced on the 19th July.
"We hope this sends a warning to anyone else who feels they are above the law"
DC Holdsworth from the County Lines Taskforce said:
"We were determined to bring these people who used drug criminality to fund their lifestyle to justice.
"This organised crime gang were selling crack cocaine and heroin to drug dealers across Walsall.
"Drug criminality causes misery within communities, it has a ripple effect on so many people from the drug users who have to fund their habit, to the businesses and law-abiding public who become victims of crime because of it.
"Four people who ran a drugs line through Walsall are now in jail and we hope this sends a warning to anyone else who feels they are above the law".
Jabbar Nadeem, aged 25 from London Road in Birmingham was jailed for seven years for supply of Class A drugs, and three and a half years for criminal damage and threats to kill, to run concurrently.
Zubair Mehmood, aged 26 from Large Avenue in Darlaston was jailed for six and a half years for supply of Class A drugs.
Rohail Ali, aged 27 from Rutter Street in Walsall was jailed for six years for supply of Class A drugs.
Fida Butt, aged 18 was jailed for four years for supply of Class A drugs.