Jail for brothers who ran ‘sophisticated’ drugs ring
TWO drug-peddling brothers have been jailed after officers discovered a sophisticated cocaine ring operating in Rochdale.
Sulman Khan, 26, and Zafran Khan, 24, convinced a drug user to allow them to use her home as a base for their ‘business’, cooking and bagging up the class A drug before selling it on through burner phones.
Sulman, of Rochdale, also involved his girlfriend at the time, Dana Pickering-Raczycki, aged 20, Minshull Street Crown Court heard. She helped bag up the drugs, she took orders and even drove the brothers around the country it was said.
The drug user, who also had mental health issues, said that the brothers controlled her day-to-day life, threatened to damage her home, hurt her pets and caused her to fear for the safety of her family.
It wasn’t until Sulman was spotted by the police driving erratically in a VW Golf that the brothers were eventually tracked down and arrested.
At an earlier hearing, Sulman and Zafran both pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, and Pickering-Raczycki, also of Rochdale, pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an organised crime group.
Both brothers were sentenced to seven years and six months imprisonment each, whereas PickeringRaczycki was handed 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years.
Prosecuting, Jon Close said: “Zafran and Sulman are brothers involved in the supply of class A drugs - they both have served a custodial sentence in respect of similar matters.
“Sulman received three years imprisonment in 2018 for being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and Zafran received 32 months imprisonment.
“These offences they are due to be sentenced for were committed during the licence period.
“Between August 21 2019 and June 18 2020, various drug phones were used to take orders.
“Sulman took charge of cooking and bagging, whereas Zafran would collect the bags. Sulman recruited others including two females in assisting with bagging up, one was his girlfriend at the time, Pickering-Racyzki.
“The brothers took control of a property involving others with cooking and bagging up, this occurred over the last 12 months. The woman involved was 47 years old, has a history of mental health issues and uses crack cocaine.”
It was said Sulman was allowed to stay at the woman’s home and in exchange he would supply her with cocaine, Zafran would then take the brothers to and from the address and collect the drugs.
However, they took over the address by cooking the drugs and bagging them up in her kitchen around three to four times a week.
These amounts started at two ounces and then went up to five or six ounces, the drugs were then bagged and collected.
Mr Close said: “The woman was controlled by the brothers further as they threatened to damage her home, burn her dogs alive and they made references to her daughter and father making her fear they were at risk.
“Neighbours saw them constantly going in and out of the house, and letting themselves in.
“Following their arrest, Pickering’s phone was seized and examined. There were around two thousand communications with Sulman and his brother.
“It was clear she was in a relationship with Sulman and she provided assistance with his and the other defendant as and when required.”
The court heard that Pickering-Raczycki monitored the police ANPR reports, she allowed them to pick up the drugs in her car, she brought them bags for bagging up and helped them look out for police cars.
In one message, she said she ‘didn’t want anything to do with his dirty money’, in which he responded calling her a ‘grass’ and suggested he had a firearm. It wasn’t until June 16 this year that Sulman was followed by the police and later seen overtaking cars.
Despite escaping, two days later, officers turned up on the doorstep of his home he shared with brother Zafran and both were arrested. In response to being arrested, Sulman said: “Are you the drugs unit? Have any of my team been caught up?”
Whilst the scale of the operation was said to be ‘difficult to quantify’ investigating officers understand the brothers were said to be making around £1,000 per day, after analysing the burner phones.
Zafran was said to have six convictions for nine offences including a conviction for possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Sulman was said to have 17 convictions for 24 offences including possession with intent to supply class A drugs, and Pickering-Raczycki had no previous convictions.
In mitigation for Zafran it was said his personal mitigation would not impact the length of the sentence.
Mitigating for Pickering-Raczycki, defence lawyer Michael Johnson said: “This has been a salutary experience for her.
“Her family worked hard to solve the issues between them and are determined to put this behind them. They need to move forward as a family.”
In mitigation for Sulman, it was said he didn’t lead a ‘champagne lifestyle’, and there was no evidence that he purchased the drugs.
It was also said he had ‘no real idea’ how matters operated further up the chain, that he was more of a ‘foot soldier’ and was under pressure due to drug debts from his previous conviction in 2018.
Sentencing them, Judge John Potter said: “This was a sophisticated drug dealing operation designed to generate very significant profits for both of you.
“The evidence in this case and previous conviction portrays you both as professional drug dealers.
“You peddle harmful substances into the community resulting in mayhem and chaos for those subject to thefts due to drugs. Your respective actions are inspired by that selfishness, ruthlessness and willingness to exploit others.”
Zafran Khan and Sulman Khan, both of Kingsway, were handed 7 years 6 months imprisonment.
Dana Pickering-Raczycki, of Shaftesbury Drive was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years, 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, 150 hours unpaid work and an electronically monitored curfew for four months between the hours of 9pm to 7am.