Burnley crime group who exploited children into selling drugs jailed
The seven men have been jailed for a combined total of more than 27 years
A Burnley drugs gang who exploited children into selling heroin and cocaine have been jailed for a combined total of more than 27 years.
An operation was launched in February 2021 after concerns were raised about drugs being supplied, particularly in the Daneshouse and Stoneyholme areas.
The drugs line was led by Hamza Khan and Abdul Ahad.
Shahid Khan was arrested in February 2021 after suspicions that he was drug-dealing from a flat on Abel Street in Burnley.
A search of the flat uncovered cocaine, heroin, cash and items associated with cooking and bagging Class A drugs. Ahad's fingerprints were recovered from the scene.
Sheikh Juned ran from a parked Lexus on Coleville Street in Burnley on 13 April 2021 after officers approached him.
He ran down an alleyway where Mohammed Rawan Ahmed was stood. He also ran but Juned was stopped. He had two mobile phones on him and snap bags with cocaine and heroin were recovered nearby.
Around an hour later, Ahmed and Khan were seen in the same alleyway looking around.
They were searched and two mobile phones were recovered from Ahmed. Juned's nickname and number was found in his contacts.
On 19 April 2021, a man was stopped in Burnley after exchanging drugs with Aaron Hanson. His phone showed he was in contact with the drugs line.
Later the same day, Hanson and William Stas were arrested in Thompson Park in Burnley.
Hanson had heroin on him and Stas had £300 and a mobile phone. A large bag of heroin and cocaine were found nearby.
When officers were leaving the area, they noticed Khan arriving in a taxi - much like Ahmed was when he was arrested.
The next day, Mohammed Shafi was stopped on Ormerod Road in Burnley after a member of the public reported a man acted suspiciously.
He had cocaine and more than £2,000 cash on him. Heroin and more cocaine were found at his house, along with cash and two mobile phones.
Four days before his arrest, the drugs line was in contact with his phone nearly 300 times.
Shafi was talking to them about the weight and supply of drugs.
On 10 June 2021, Ahad and Abdul Basit were stopped in a taxi on Oxford Road in Burnley.
Ahad had £2,000 cash and four mobile phones on him and was arrested on suspicion of money laundering.
Four days later, Khan, Alam and Basit were arrested during simultaneous raids in Burnley.
£14,700 was found in the wardrobe of a house linked to Khan and Basit was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker because of the way he acted whilst being detained.
Hanson, Shafi and Ahmed were arrested three days later.
On 21 July 2021, Saghir was arrested during a police raid after was he was found with wraps of heroin and cocaine, £533 in cash and a mobile phone.
Officers returned to the flat on 26 August 2021 and found Ahad, who was wanted since the raids on 14 June, along with cash, drug paraphernalia and mobile phones linked to the drugs line.
Sgt Haydn Sibley, from the East Target Team, said:
"This was a sophisticated drug-dealing network whose members targeted and exploited children and vulnerable adults into selling their destructive product.
"These convictions came as a result of dedicated and patient policing and I would like to thank all the officers involved. I hope these convictions and subsequent sentences send out a strong message that East Lancashire is not a safe place for OCGs to operate. We will identify and dismantle your operation no matter how sophisticated you think it may be
"If you are aware of illegal activity in your area I would encourage you to call us on 101, confident that we will take the appropriate action."
Sentences:
- Abdul Ahad, 03/05/1995, Kent Street, Burnley, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Jailed for seven years and ten months.
- Mohammed Hamza Khan 13/11/1996, of March Street, Burnley, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Jailed for four years and nine months.
- Abdul Alam 06/05/1998 of Kent Street, Burnley, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Jailed for three years and nine months.
- Sheikh Juned 18/06/1996 Higher Reedley Road, Brierfield, convicted of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Jailed for three years.
- Abdul Basit 15/10/1998 of Clive Street, Burnley, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and assaulting an emergency worker. Jailed for two years and ten months.
- Mohammed Saghir 10/03/1982, of no fixed address, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Jailed for two years and eight months.
- Mohammed Rawan Ahmed 06/09/1997 of Arley Gardens, Burnley, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Jailed for two years and eight months.
- Mohammed Shafi 21/11/1986 of Ormerod Road, Burnley, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Twenty-two month suspended sentence.
- Aaron Hanson 08/11/2003 of Spenser Street, Padiham, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Twelve-month suspended sentence.
- Viliam Stas 24/08/1999 of Clough Road, Nelson, convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Nine-month suspended sentence.
- Shahid Khan 16/01/2003 of Colne Road, Burnley, convicted of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Two year suspended sentence.