'Big Timer' drugs gang members behind bars
A drugs gang led by a gangster nicknamed 'Big Timer' and featuring a man from the Black Country has been jailed for a total of more than 26 years.
Rafiq Mohammed, aged 38, is believed to have made millions from peddling heroin in Birmingham. The dealer, along with his six co-conspirators including Ravinder Mattu from Wolverhampton, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.
In July last year, Mattu, 45, from Bate Street, Lanesfield, was caught with more than £40,000 in used notes after police tracked a transaction between him and Mohammed.
The deal took place at a house in Hangleton Drive, Small Heath, with officers stopping Mattu in Bilston.
They uncovered £5,980 in his car and £34,900 stuffed under his wardrobe at home. He told cops that £6,000 was a loan while the rest was from selling gold jewellery and unwanted wedding presents.
He was found guilty of money laundering and jailed for two years.
The sting to bring down Mohammed began on February 12 last year when cops spotted him leave his luxury Audi Q7 ? which was parked on the car park of a Birmingham take away - carrying a bulging shopping bag.
Mohammed then jumped into a Chrysler Voyager belonging to telecoms engineer Ibrar Uddin, 43, of Wilton Road, Sparkhill. After a few minutes Mohammed left, without the bag and drove off.
His spot on the car park was quickly taken by a Ford KA driven by kebab shop owner Juma Aziz, 41, of Clarence Road, Handsworth.
After a similarly brief visit to Uddin's car, Aziz sauntered out carrying the same bag deposited by Mohammed just minutes earlier.
Aziz was followed to the Winson Green area of the city and stopped by traffic officers. Inside officers found the same bag stuffed with £57,460 in neat cash bundles.
Chief inspector Phil Cape, from Birmingham Police, said: "When interviewed Aziz concocted a series of ever changing stories.
"After initially claiming that he had been summoned to the location by a mystery caller to his business, his story then changed to say how a business partner had asked him to collect catering equipment and the cash to pay for it en route.
"Needless to say, we didn't believe him."
Uddin was released on police bail and an operation was launched to uncover those behind the crimes.
One month later officers captured Uddin meeting travel agent Mohammed Rashid, 39, of Sheldon Road at Rafiq's gym. This time it was Rashid who left carrying a shopping bag.
When stopped by officers in Alum Rock, the bag was filled with £46,290 in used notes.
On October 16, officers monitoring the gang arrested Mohammed and found a wrap of heroin and a wrap of cocaine in his pockets.
A search of the flat he'd visited on Bell Barn Road, Lee Bank uncovered the packaging for six half-kilo bundles of heroin.
When examined by forensic experts, detectives were able to connect Mohammed Nasir, 26, of Downey Close, Sparkbrook and 'Big Timer's' brother, unemployed Mohammed Shafiq, 28, of Jacoby Place, Edgbaston to the deals.
Inquiries then led detectives to the home of 'Big Timer' where 12 mobiles phones were found by his bed along with a cash counting machine.
Following a two-week trial at Leicester Crown Court, the seven were found guilty of conspiring to supply class A drugs and sentenced to 26 years behind bars.
Sentences for the other five culprits were: Juma Aziz ? guilty of money laundering, eight months suspended for two years, Mohammed Nasir ? guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, six years, Mohammed Rashid ? guilty of money laundering, eight months suspended for two years, Mohammed Shafiq - guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, six years and Ibrar Uddin ? guilty of money laundering, two years.
