Brother’s crime gang get 129 years

An organised crime gang who peddled vast amounts of cocaine across the country have been jailed for more than 129 years.

Ansar Akram, 34, and brother Ajmal Akram, 31, used encrypted phones to sell the drug onto other gangs and wholesale drug dealers.

Detectives from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) investigated the group as they organised deals in Yorkshire, Dorset, Middlesbrough, Leicester, Luton and Northampton.

The Akram brothers used three trusted couriers to ferry the cocaine across the country, returning with bags crammed with tens of thousands of pounds in cash.

Waseem Khan, 38, from Luton, Beds, was a senior member of the group who acted as a middle man brokering drug deals nationwide.

He was jailed for a total of 15 years following a hearing at St Albans Crown Court.

Ansar Akram, of Thumpers, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, was jailed for 15 years after admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property.

Ajmal Akram, also of Thumpers, was jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property.

Rahoof Khan, 27, another senior gang member from Hemel Hempstead, organised the couriers and was jailed for 11-and-a-half years after admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Mohammed Jahangeer, 39, of Sheffield, and Taswir Mohammed, 39, of Aylesbury, Bucks bought kilo blocks of cocaine for onward sale in their local areas.

They were jailed for 11 and eight years respectively.

The three men who worked as couriers were Wasim Afzal, 44, and Sarfraz Asif, 40, both from Luton and Jameel Khan, 27, from Nottingham.

Afzal was jailed for 11 years and nine months; Asif was jailed for four and a half years;
Jameel Khan, was jailed for 10 years.

Four other men who bought and sold cocaine in their local areas were also locked up.

Ahsan Mahmood, 50, of Peterborough, was jailed for 11 and a half years; Ben Lewis, 29, of Bridport, Dorset, was jailed for seven years and two months; Ali Zarei, 26, of Northampton, was jailed for five years and four months; Ryan Brockley, 36, of Leicester was jailed for five years.

The combined sentence of 129 years and nine months is the biggest ever jail term secured by ERSOU’s regional organised crime unit (ROCU).

Detective Inspector Ian Mawdseley said: ‘The hearing brings to a close a lengthy and complex investigation into this nation-wide drugs supply network.

‘Thanks to the determination and tireless efforts of our officers, some very dangerous individuals are now facing a significant time behind bars and we’ve halted a supply of huge quantities of class A drugs into communities across the country.’

Hannah Wilkinson, Head of ERSOU ROCU, said: ‘Our unit uses a range of specialist tactics to tackle those at the top end of the drugs supply network and I’m really pleased that, thanks to the tenacity of our officers, we’ve secured our biggest ever combined jail sentence.

‘Although criminals at the very top of the chain can seem removed from the devastating impact of drug dealing, the actions of people involved in such groups can still have terrible consequences for those living within our communities; from the vulnerable users who are exploited by the ruthless criminals out to make as much as they can, to those affected by the wide ranging criminality that comes about as a result of drugs supply.

‘That’s why we’re committed to continuing to use our cutting edge capabilities to ensure we leave no stone unturned in our fight against those involved in the supply business, both within the eastern region and beyond.’