Five men get total of 46 years

Five men have today been given custodial sentences totalling 46 years for conspiracy to supply and distribute heroin and crack cocaine into Telford from Slough.

Their convictions follow a cross border investigation by West Mercia’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) which saw the organised crime group based in Telford managing every level of the conspiracy from the organisation and collection of class A drugs at wholesale level right the way through to street level supply.

This afternoon at Shrewsbury Crown Court the five were sentenced, they are:

Mohammed Ramzan, 47, of Princess Avenue in Arleston in Telford was sentenced to 16 years in prison after disqualified from driving for nine years after he was found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine, being concerned in money laundering, two counts of converting criminal property and dangerous driving.

Imran Dean, 31 of Victoria Avenue in Wellington, Telford was sentenced to nine and a half years after he pleaded guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine.

Joseph Harvey, 31 of Heath Road in Wellington, Telford was sentenced to three and a half after he pleaded guilty of being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine.

Stewart Clare, 37, of Orchard Road in Shifnal was sentenced to five years after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and being concerned in money laundering.

Irslan Wazir, of Cross Roads in High Wycombe was sentenced to 12 years after he was found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, possession of cocaine, heroin and cannabis with intent to supply and two counts of dangerous driving.

A 41-year-old woman, Maryann Hindson, of Gloucestershire who was also connected to the drugs line was sentenced on Wednesday 20 March to two years custodial sentence suspended for two years after she pleaded guilty of being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine.

Waseem Arif, aged 33, of Stafford Street in Telford received a community order for 18 months and Qasim Janjua, 32 of Manor Road in Arleston, Telford was given a £1000 fine after both men pleaded guilty of being concerned in the supply of cannabis on Friday 8 March.

Their convictions are a result of Operation Impel – an investigation that also examined a large money laundering operation into the money being made by the group.

This identified more than £100,000 being paid into a bank account linked to Mohammed Ramzan and Stewart Clare. Expensive holidays, cars and jewellery were also funded by their criminality.

Detective Sergeant Stephen Dakin from West Mercia’s SOCU said: “We are delighted this result recognises the national scale of this county line from a group who imported drugs across Telford.

“This sentencing closes another county line and sends a strong message to everyone that we will not tolerate drug dealing in our communities.

“Tackling serious and organised crime and county lines is a priority and we will continue to focus our efforts on disrupting the criminal behaviour of those who are causing harm in our communities.”.