12 people jailed for more than 100 years combined as cops dismantle major County Lines drug dealing 'coalition'
Twelve people have been handed prison sentences totalling more than 100 years in the largest operation by the West Midlands Police's County Lines Task Force (CLTF) since it was set up two years ago.
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Seventeen warrants were executed at properties across Birmingham and Solihull following a six-month investigation into the Rico, Diego, Figo and Potter drug lines in May 2023.
In November 2022, the CLTF launched Operation Hunterian, a major investigation into the four lines following enquiries into drug dealing in the Birmingham and Solihull areas.
Police analysis of the four lines revealed bulk messages being sent to a large number of phones - a common trait of County Lines operations.
The numbers associated with each line would reference one of the four drug lines.
Brothers Aadam and Haroon Iqbal plus Mohammed Usman were in control of the Rico line through two phone numbers operating in Hodge Hill.
During a search of their property when the warrants were executed, Haroon and Usman were each found with a Rico phone.
On February 3, 2023, Adam Slater and Tiahna Philips were both working for the Diego lines. They were both stopped in their car in Solihull where phone data showed the Diego line as being active in the area.
On February 14, Slater was stopped once again and two more phones were recovered. One was identified as being used for the Diego line.
On February 17, Yasine Sadiq reactivated and switched the line to a new network. He also did the same with his personal number, however, through telecommunication investigations and CCTV enquiries, detectives were able to track the change and link him to the line.
Investigations into the phone data associated with the Figo line showed regular communication between Mark Seeley and Amani Adams, who were working for the line along with Ilyas Sadiq, who was in control.
The three men would regularly exchange messages to arrange drop-offs.
Seeley's car was spotted a number of times on CCTV cameras outside of shops, where Diego line's phone would be topped up.
Police then began to look into the Potter line, where it was found that Anees Mahmood, Humair Ul Rehman and Levy Mukwita were in regular communication.
Messages revealed that Mukwita would supply drugs to all four lines. The 24-year-old would act as a middleman to each line, with phone data showing that he would arrange the supply of drugs to all those controlling and running all the lines.
The revenue of the lines was estimated to be between £18,000 and £20,000 per week - up to a staggering £100,000 per month.
All four lines were active in the Birmingham and Solihull areas and were taking over 1,000 calls a day, serving more than 200 drug users of class A heroin and cocaine.
Drug warrants also resulted in the seizure of a large amount of class A drugs, a large amount of cash and numerous mobile phones.
Aadam and Haroon Iqbal, Usman, Seeley, Yasine Sadiq, Ilyas Sadiq, Slater, Phillips and Mukwita were all arrested in the warrants last year.
Amani Adams and Rehman handed themselves in the following month, while Mahmood was arrested at Birmingham Airport in September having fled to Pakistan.
Detective Sergeant Craig Tennant, from West Midlands Police, said: "This is a fantastic result following a complex investigation. The team have successfully taken a large number of drugs off the streets and put this group who caused misery in our communities behind bars for a very long time.
"The four lines operated under a unique model and they all worked together as a coalition, which is rare to see with drugs line.
"This meant they could service more customers and ultimately earn more money together.
“Our actions do not stop at enforcement. We continue to work with partner agencies to offer support to vulnerable people and provide long-term support.
“As ever, we couldn’t do this without information from the public and encourage you to get in touch if you have any information. You might think it’s nothing, but it could be integral to our investigation."
All 12 pleaded guilty at court hearings held earlier this year.
Listed below are the sentences handed down.
Anees Mahmood, 24, of Parkfield Road, Alum Rock - sentenced to 12 years and 10 months
Aadam Iqbal, 28, of Ward End Park Road - sentenced to 12 years and six months
Yasine Sadiq, 27, of Fernbank Road, Birmingham - sentenced to 11 years
Ilyas Sadiq, 28, of Fernbank Road, Birmingham - sentenced to 10 years and 10 months
Levy Mukwita, 25, of Wallbank Court, Birmingham - sentenced to 10 years and six months
Mohammed Usman, 26, of Hodge Hill Road, Birmingham - sentenced to 10 years and six months
Amani Adams, 21, of Drews Lane, Birmingham - sentenced to eight years
Haroon Iqbal, 34, of Drylea Grove, Birmingham - sentenced to six years and four months
Adam Slater, 21, of Tyburn Road, Birmingham - sentenced to six years
Humair Ul Rehman, 27, of Rymond Road, Birmingham - sentenced to six years
Tiahna Phillips, 23, of Draycott Avenue, Birmingham - sentenced to five years
Mark Seeley, 36, of Nineacres Drive, Solihull - sentenced to four years and eight months
