A gang that exploited children to sell heroin and cocaine has been sentenced to 35 years in prison, with the last member jailed recently for his role.
Stafford: A gang used kids to sell heroin and cocaine across the UK. They’ve been sentenced to a total of 35 years in prison. Gulam Izdani was the last member jailed for his part in the ‘AB’ and ‘Jay’ drug lines.
He got his sentence last week after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply drugs. The other gang members were sentenced last year.
Brian Asante, the ringleader, ran the operation from Wolverhampton and Stafford. He used children to help with the drug trade and received over 13 years in prison.
Asante had eight accomplices from the West Midlands, including Staffordshire, Northamptonshire, and Wiltshire. They operated the drug lines from February to September 2021.
They used mobile phones to connect with customers and supplied drugs to places like Kettering, Corby, and Peterborough. One line mainly served Burton-upon-Trent.
Detectives tracked the gang’s movements using phone data and number plate recognition. They found that Snapchat was used to communicate with at least one child involved in the drug trade.
Asante, 23, admitted to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and was also guilty of child exploitation. James Carroll, 46, was jailed for two years for recruiting a child for exploitation.
Other members received various sentences for their roles in the conspiracy. Izdani, 22, was sentenced to over five years for conspiracy to supply drugs.
Det Sgt Gavin McGrath from West Midlands Police said this was a major criminal operation that has now been dismantled. They are committed to protecting vulnerable children from exploitation.
