Crack cocaine gang with dedicated drugs hotline caged for over 60 years – as ‘ring leader’ on run

Ten members of a Middlesbrough drugs gang caught by undercover officers have been caged for over 60 years..

The crooks were caught in an undercover sting, where plain-clothes officers from Cleveland Police bought increasing quantities of drugs. As the officers handed over more cash to the street dealers, gang members higher up the chain began to introduce themselves.

On Friday, Teesside Crown Court heard the gang ran a dedicated drugs hotline to take crack cocaine orders from punters.

READ MORE: Jail for street dealing dad who stashed heroin wraps inside Kinder Egg

Police say the group supplied a minimum of 5kg of crack cocaine from June 21, 2021, to April 27, 2022, but is likely to have been closer to 8 or 9kgs. The police probe – named Operation Arrow – began by shining the spotlight on the drugs supply in Middlesbrough.

Numerous undercover officers were given the same number to ring to buy the drugs; but the phone was answered by different members of the ring. The suspected leader of the racket fled the country in January 2022.

Thirty-five people have been now been prosecuted as a result of the operation – and a number of children at risk of exploitation, have been safeguarded.

Eight men were jailed for conspiracy to supply class A drugs

• Ayman Ahmad, 30, of Victoria Road in Middlesbrough, was jailed for eight-years-and-nine-months.
• Kevin Baker, 26, of Hartington Road in Middlesbrough, was also convicted of the possession of class C drugs and the possession of a knife. He was jailed for six-years.
• Sherad Ahmad, 26, of Penistone Road, Middlesbrough, was jailed for eight-years.
• Barzan Kadir, 38, of Grange Road, Middlesbrough was jailed for six-years-and-four-months.
• Shaho Ibrahim, 27, who gave his address as HMP Holme House was also convicted of possession of class A with intent to supply. He was jailed for eight-years.
• Apo Fazil, 28, who gave his address as HMP Holme House, was also convicted of the possession of class A drugs, was jailed for nine-years.

• Garmyan Xalaf, 29, also gave his address as HMP Holme House, was also convicted of the possession of class A drugs, was jailed for nine-years.
• Callum Alsop, 26, also gave his address as HMP Holme House, was also convicted of the possession of class A with intent to supply and the possession of criminal property, was jailed for eight-years-and-four-months. Alsop didn’t sell drugs; his role was storing and transporting large quantities of cocaine and cash from his home in Billingham.

Two gang members supplied drugs on one occasion only:

• Emma McKittrick, 42, of no fixed abode, was jailed for supplying class A drugs. She was handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two-years and must attend 20-rehabilitation days. She must attend a drug rehabilitation order for six-months.
• Ben Cruse, 24, of Faceby Grove in Kirklevington, was convicted of supplying class A drugs. He was handed a two-year prison term, suspended for two-years. He was ordered to attend 200-hours of unpaid work and 30-rehabilitation days.

Judge Howard Crowson told the men: “In this case, as in all drug cases, the sentences begin with assessment of the scale of business. Therefore I have been provided with a statement from a drugs expert whose opinion is the conspiracy involved, with certainty, no less than five kilos. I take that as my start point despite his opinion that it is likely to have exceeded that two or three times.”

“In this business it is common knowledge that it was led by a man who is no longer in this country. In his absence and even when he was present there were others who worked in a manner within this organisation…. who were at a relatively high level.

“The investigation concluded with the confiscation and toward the end exposed some of those higher in the chain by inquiring and ordering higher quantities of the drugs. It had the desired effect by exposing some of those who did not normally appear on the street.”

‘Highly addictive’

After the sentencing, Detective Inspector Barnes from Cleveland Police, said: “Crack cocaine is a highly addictive drug and often results in costly drug debts meaning drug users can often commit crime to fund their habit. Drug dealing also has a significant impact on communities and can result in serious violence to enforce such drug debts.

“We welcome the sentences given today as it sends out a strong message that we remain committed to tackling the supply of illegal substances and those who seek to benefit from it. I’d like to thank everyone involved from the various policing teams along with colleagues in local and regional partner agencies – this result would not have been possible without them.

“I’d also like to give special recognition to PC Ben Chisholm, Naomi Spiteri, Lucy Hoehne and Kay McGeehan who all worked relentlessly in building this long and complex case.”

You can report concerns about drugs to Cleveland Police via the 101 number.

Alternatively, you can pass information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by phoning 0800 555 111.

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