Sandwell drugs ring JAILED: Dealer’s dial-a-drug hotline had 20,000 calls
A dial-a-drug hotline line selling heroin and cocaine to hundreds of West Midland users handled over 20,000 communications in 10 months, a judge heard.
The SIM card for the number that ended 716 was passed between handsets and kept open from 10am to 9pm each day, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
It also sent broadcast messages, one of which registered 1,345 contacts on September 10 last year, three days after a kilo of drugs from Holland – probably cocaine – was delivered to an address in Highbury Road, Smethwick, explained Mr John O’Higgins, prosecuting.
Steven Narwain, who controlled the line between December 1, 2015 and October 9, 2016, was jailed for 13 years yesterday. Three of his henchmen received sentences totalling 22 years.
The 25-year-old was carrying 33,000 euros when stopped before boarding a plane at Birmingham International Airport on December 9, 2015. The following August he went to Amsterdam to buy the 7,000 euro drugs package delivered to the Smethwick address on September 7.
His BMW had anti-surveillance equipment and police found his disguised Taser stun gun in a storage unit used by the gang.
When he was out of the country the 716 line was run by 27-year-old Randip Daley. His brother Hardip, 22, had set it up for Narwain who got rid of the phone moments before being arrested on September 11. Police found four other phones in his car.
He continued to use the 716 line following his release on bail until rearrested less than three weeks later.
Alerted by his anti-surveillance equipment he abandoned the BMW, threw away the mobile phone and was on a bus when finally detained.
On October 1 he made a phone call from prison to his 56-year-old former RAF sergeant father Surinder, telling him that Hardip Daley was about to be ‘picked up’ and must cut off the 716 phone. The next day it was reported as ‘lost’
Barinderpal Malhi, 44, arranged storage facilities for the gang, took out the contract on the unit in which the stun gun was found and had the drugs from Holland delivered to his home.
Narwain, of no fixed address, admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, possession of a stun gun and attempting to pervert the course of justice, while his father from Sutton Road, Walsall, admitted the latter offence and received a two year suspended prison sentence.
Randip Daley, of Clay Lane, Oldbury pleaded guilty to the drugs conspiracy and attempting to pervert the course of justice. His brother Hardip, of the same address, was found guilty of identical charges and each was jailed for seven years.
Barinderpal Malhi of Highbury Road, Smethwick was jailed for eight years after admitting the drugs conspiracy.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Daniel Halford, said: “We seized a phone that was effectively a Black Country drugs line… it was being extensively used and a drugs expert witness said it contained the largest drugs customer list he’d seen in 25 years.
“Steven Narwain ran the enterprise and was actively involved at all levels. He travelled to Amsterdam on 29 August and contacted Randip Daley asking him to transfer almost 8,000 Euros. He visited a Dutch post office and days later a 1.2kg package arrived at Highbury Road… it’s strongly suspected that was a drugs parcel.
“He’d previously had his fingers burned having been found carrying 33,000 Euros in cash at Birmingham Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Amsterdam. That money was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
“Our investigation has brought down a significant drugs supply chain, one that would have brought untold misery to people in Black Country communities. I’m pleased they’ve been handed lengthy jail terms; people need to understand that if they get involved in drug supply they face long stints behind bars."
A Proceeds of Crime Act investigation will take place in due course to strip Narwain and other gang members of any cash or assets that can be linked to drug dealing.
Mahli’s son Harnek Mahli, 18, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice for hampering police efforts to trace his father and tipping off other group members.
Surinder Narwain, father of the ringleader, admitted the same charge having made efforts to disconnect the drug line phone while his son was on remand in prison.
They were handed suspended custodial sentences of 15 and 24 months respectively and both ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work.
