Black Country drug dealer told to pay back fraction of ill-gotten gains after police bust 'Ace' drugs line
Two drug dealers who earned £1,000 a day running the 'Ace' supply line have jointly been ordered by a judge to hand over £17,152 of their ill-gotten gains – only a fraction of the profits they made from the criminal enterprise.
At Gloucester Crown Court in January 2021 Shahnoor Ahmed, 28, of Wemsbury Avenue, Wednesbury, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison while Shumel Ahmed, 24, of Buchan Drive, Kingsway, Gloucester, was sentenced to three years and four months.
The pair had admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine to others between August 1, 2019 and December 11, 2019.
Last Friday, a Proceeds of Crime Hearing at the same court was told that Shumel Ahmed had profited by £171,316 from his part in the racket but his only remaining asset is a BMW car estimated to be worth £10,000 and available for confiscation.
Shahnoor Ahmed was said to have made a financial gain of £111,768 from his role in the enterprise but now has assets available for confiscation of only £7,152.11 plus some Bitcoin currency valued at around £8,000. However, the value of the Bitcoin could not be verified or accessed and could not be included in the confiscation figure set by the court.
The judge, Recorder Eugene Egan made the confiscation order for both the Ahmed men in the available amounts and the men were given three months to pay.
At the sentence hearing the court was told that the Ahmeds had been observed during a five month covert police surveillance operation during the latter part of 2019.
Prosecutor Ramin Pakrooh said the police witnessed multiple drug deals being transacted all over Gloucestershire in public places, mainly car parks, during the four month operation.
He said: "On November 20, 2019 the police intercepted a buyer who was in possession of wraps of heroin for his own use. The drug user’s phone was examined and showed evidence of being in regular contact with the Ace drugs line.
“The police investigation led them to realise that the Ace line was making around 100 street deals a day, equalling more than £1,000.
“Shumel Ahmed was the owner of the Ace line and controlled the finances. He was also the main beneficiary of the operation, making substantial profits from it.
“Shahnoor Ahmed assisted in the operation and was often in control of the Ace drugs line. He was the person who ensured that local dealers in the county were properly supplied. He also gave instructions how to cut and package the drugs to the middle men and upon his arrest he had £10,000 in his possession.”
