County lines drug group jailed for a total of 50 years
The operation supplied heroin and cocaine to Barrow from Manchester
The final members of a county lines drugs operation who supplied heroin and cocaine to Barrow from Manchester have been sentenced at Preston Crown Court.
Operation Remote was a complex investigation set up in September 2023 to dismantle the ‘Shakka’ Organised Crime Group (OCG).
The ‘Shakka’ line, predominately ran from a prison cell in South Yorkshire, flooded Barrow with heroin and crack-cocaine through a county lines drug network using ‘graft’ numbers to advertise the availability of drugs in the area, even offering a delivery service to user’s homes.
Initially in late 2022 and early 2023, the ‘Shakka’ OCG rotated a safe containing large amounts of drugs, cash and ‘graft’ phones among lower levels of the OCG. These members were regularly stocked with drugs and were trusted to manage the safe and its contents. However, from May 2023, the group’s methodology shifted to traditional county lines set up where a main ‘graft’ phone was controlled and operated by an out-of-county facilitator based in Oldham.
As part of the operation, warrant was executed at an address on Wordsworth Street, Barrow on 1 November 2023. This resulted in the arrest and charge of four members of the OCG and a large amount of cocaine was seized.
Following this, a strike phase took place at addresses in Oldham, Rochdale and Barrow in mid-November 2023. This work ultimately led to ten people being arrested and charged as part of the conspiracy and two charged it with ancillary drug supply and arson with intent to endanger life offences.
The head of the county line was Al-Shakil Sadiq, who controlled the line from his prison cell in HMP Lindholme using a number of illicit mobile phones to coordinate the activities of the OCG members and arrange for the transportation of Class A drugs from Manchester to Barrow to be sold.
He was jailed on 20 September for 10 and a half years.
Sadiq used a network of individuals who each played a key role in facilitating the supply of heroin and crack cocaine to the streets of Barrow.
• Sarah Kolsuma Sadiq, 30, of Belfield Road, Rochdale, was a senior member of the OCG, using personal mobile numbers and Snapchat to ensure the continuity of the drugs supply operation when her brother, Al-Shakil was unable to coordinate matters himself due to prison disruption. She was responsible for laundering her brother’s money. Sarah Sadiq was sentenced to 6 years 4 months in prison for her role in the conspiracy.
• Shamim Hussain, 28, of Sherwood Street, Oldham, controlled the second OCG ‘graft’ number and was responsible for sending out bulk drug advertisement messages to users in the Barrow area. He travelled to Barrow on nine occasions to restock the OCG and collect monies. Shamin Hussain was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
• Gregory Bell, 47 of Marsdale Grove and Brandon McGuire, 25, of Marsh Street, Barrow were responsible for storing and preparing drug restocks of Class A drugs for onward supply in Barrow. Bell and McGuire also played a part in controlling the first OCG ‘graft’ number. Bell was jailed for 4 and a half years and McGuire was jailed for 4 years 1 month.
• Jackson Young, 20, of Long Croft, Barrow was responsible for the cocaine operation in Barrow under Al-Shakil Sadiq. He would recruit and direct sub-dealers. He was sentence to 3 years in prison for his role in the OCG.
• Kirsty Davidson, 36 and John Thompson 44, both of Wordsworth Street, Barrow were street dealers who used intimidation tactics against other OCG members on behalf of Al-Shakil Sadiq. In July 2024 Davidson was jailed for 56 months, and Thompson was jailed for 65 months. Both were also sentenced for their role in a separate county lines investigation – Operation Frozen.
• James Thompson, 44, of Peter Street Whitehaven was arrested and charged with drug supply and arson after travelling to Barrow in October 2023 where he was seen on CCTV pouring petrol on an address in Barrow. He was also seen engaging in drug deals from the home of Kirsty Davidson. He was jailed for 28 months for his role in the conspiracy and also pleaded guilty to an offence of arson with intent to danger life. In total he received a 5 and a half year prison sentence.
Another person, who was 17 at the time of arrest, entered a guilty plea at Manchester Youth Court on 20 February 2024.
PC Ryan Smith of the Community Serious Organised Crime Unit said:
“We have disrupted a major county lines OCG and now have 9 people behind bars for their role in a county lines drugs conspiracy.
“I am pleased with the sentences handed out, resulting in the group being jailed for 50 years in total and more importantly, taking nine dangerous people and illegal substances off the street.
“This was a significant operation which spanned many months and involved officers from Barrow Police and the Community Serious Organised Crime Unit, the North West Regional Crime Team and Greater Manchester Police, working in close partnership to disrupt and dismantle the OCG.
“Today’s substantial custodial sentences should serve as a warning to those thinking about establishing similar operations in our communities - we will catch you. We are not complacent, and we will continue to proactively target those who are involved in the supply of drugs within our county.
“The support of our communities in reporting drug dealing is a key tool in tackling organised criminality and we encourage members of the public to get in touch with any information that might help us."
Anyone with information about drugs offences can call police on 101 or report online at cumbria.police.uk.
Alternatively, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers, completely anonymously, on 0800 555 111.