Thirteen members of a 25 strong Leicester based organised crime group have been sentenced this week for their role in large scale drug supply across the county.
The 12 men and one woman – who were convicted or pleaded guilty to offences at earlier hearings – appeared at Leicester Crown Court between 17 – 19 February where they were sentenced.
Officers from East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) spent an undeterminable number of hours investigating the whole group, who used dedicated phone lines in order to facilitate the supply and distribution of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine throughout the county between July 2017 and September 2018.
Those previously convicted or who pleaded guilty and sentenced this week are:
Adam Mayat, 31, of Halstead Street, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment
Yusuf Khan, 26, of Jellicoe Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment
Amir Yusuf, 24, of Cross Hedge Close, Leicester pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and possession of class B drugs and was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment
Jignisha Jivan, 27, of Sunberry Green, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to nine years imprisonment
Bhavin Jivan, 24, of Sunberry Green, Leicester, was convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to eight years imprisonment
Abdur Limalia, 28, of Chandos Street, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to nine years imprisonment
Abdur Sidat, 31, of Mere Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment
Qader Osman, 24, of Mundesley Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to nine years imprisonment
Dharmesh Bharakhda, 47, of Dovedale Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to nine years imprisonment
Sanawaz Faquirbhai, 23, of Hartingdon Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and and possession with intent to supply class B drugs and was sentenced to 11 years and nine month imprisonment
Rajesh Mahi, 45, Swithland Avenue, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to nine years and nine months imprisonment
Aquib Faquirbhai, 28, of Hartingdon Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment
Harshad Varia, 55, of Yorkshire Road, Leicester was convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and sentenced to eight years imprisonment
Those previously sentenced are:
Michael Slaney, 34, of Hopper Way, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced on 12 February 2020 to five years in prison
Paul Stephens, 53, of St Bernards Street, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced on 12 February 2020 to three years and nine months in prison
Mohammed Waka, 22, of Mount Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and was sentenced on 7 February 2020 to five years and five months in prison
Shaun Tully, 38, of Beatrice Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and was sentenced on 13 December 2019 to five years and two months in prison
Gemma Cooney, 30, of Beatrice Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced on 13 December 2019 to three years in prison
Melissa Mathieson, 29, of 74A Faire Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and was sentenced on 31 January 2020 to 15 months imprisonment suspended for two years and 120 hours unpaid work
Haroon Ahmed, 24, of Larchmont Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to permitting the use of premises for the supply of a controlled drug of class B and was sentenced on 13 November 2019 to eight months imprisonment suspended for two years
Adam Pelaria-Gheswala, 23, of Bodnant Avenue, Leicester, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class B drugs and was sentenced on 11 December 2019 to nine months imprisonment suspended for 18 months
Katiane de Matos, 45, of Queniborough Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to converting criminal property and was sentenced on 14 August 2020 to 10 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months, 80 hours of unpaid work and a victim surcharge of £100
Imran Karim, 43, of Elmfield Avenue, Leicester, pleaded guilty to allowing his premises to be used to supply class A drugs and was sentenced on 14 August 2020 to 10 months imprisonment suspended for 20 months and a victim surcharge of £100
Two other men, Mohamed Makodia, 23, of Asfordby Street, Leicester, and Nitesh Vara, 43, of Lynmouth Drive, Leicester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs at earlier hearings. They will be sentenced at a later date.
A 30-year-old man, of Leicester, was found not guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs at an earlier hearing.
In January 2018, officers became aware that the gang had a dedicated ‘dealer’ line manned by gang ringleaders, Adam Mayat and Mohamed Khan. The phone line was used by ‘customers’ looking to buy drugs. An order would be placed with the dealer who in turn used a separate mobile phone to contact one of the runners in the group. The runner would be sent to meet with the customer and exchange drugs for cash.
The quantities ordered from the dealer line indicated that the customers were dealers in their own right who, in turn, would be selling the product onwards at street level.
As enquiries progressed, it was established that members of the gang were instructed to travel outside of the county, to Manchester and Sheffield, to buy drugs in weights of a kilo at a time.
The drugs would be cut down and packaged in one of two Leicester ‘safe houses’ – in Mere Road and Chandos Street – before being distributed to paying customers.
When officers searched the property in Mere Road – home address of Abdur Sidat – they recovered a shotgun and live ammunition in a kitchen cupboard. Also found was a large quantity of controlled drugs, a drugs press, a hammer, scales and other drug paraphernalia.
In July 2018, officers searched the Chandos Street safe-house – home of Abdur Limalia – where they recovered a quantity of drugs.
As part of the investigation officers searched Bhavin Jivan’s and Jignisha Javin’s car and recovered a kilo of heroin estimated to be worth £17,000 to £23,000.
As the investigation continued it was further established, through extensive call data analysis, that the gang had been actively supplying drugs since the summer of 2017, with one of the ringleaders playing his part, while out of prison and on licence.
The calls into the dealer line were continuous, and text messages between members of the group suggested that half a kilo of heroin could be sold, every five days, at a cost of £17,000 a time.
Detective Inspector Lee Hunt, from EMSOU, said: “This gang ran a highly organised outfit and for a while they prospered. What they didn’t bank on was our determination to thoroughly investigate and destroy their operation bringing all those involved before the court.
“The outcome of this lengthy and complex investigation proves our commitment to tackling those whose intent is to flood our streets with illegal drugs.”
Reporting restrictions were put in place at Leicester Crown Court postponing reporting of the case until conclusion of the third and last trial.
Leicestershire Police News 19/02/21