Five jailed over £70,000 cocaine plot
AGANG who brought high-purity cocaine from London to sell on the streets of Cardiff made an estimated £70,000 in profit in four months.
The five men, part of a so-called county lines operation, were based at two houses in the Welsh capital which they used to store and sell dozens of cocaine deals.
Abdi Rahman Hassan, 20, Muktar Hassan, 22, Mahmud Mahmud, 20, David Miller, 35, and Aden Bashir, 19, were involved in the operation, which ran from a flat in Dylan Place, Roath, where Miller lived, and a house in Threipland Drive, Heath, where Abdi Rahman Hassan, Muktar Hassan, and Mahmud were based.
Police became aware of the gang after tracking a known mobile phone number linked to drug dealing in Cardiff to the addresses. They then observed Bashir, based at Miller’s flat in Dylan Place, carrying out a number of drug deals over four months before raiding both addresses in June 2017.
All five appeared for sentencing at Newport Crown Court on Monday, with Abdi Rahman Hassan appearing via video link from Wormwood Scrubs.
Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett said: “Police observation revealed the house was being used as a base for Mr Bashir and he was repeatedly coming and going, supplying people with wraps of cocaine for money.
“The other three defendants were at a second house. They kept in touch by telephone network. That house would have been where the larger supply of cocaine was kept and drugs would have been wrapped and bagged there.”
It was claimed by Mr Bennett that Abdi Rahman Hassan played the leading role in the group, with Muktar Hassan also playing a central part. They were receiving support and funding from people “higher up the chain”.
Bashir was seen as being at the bottom of the chain and would carry out the drug deals at night, being the most exposed to police observation.
Mahmud acted as a driver, making three trips to London to pick up cocaine, while Miller allowed his house to be used for the street-dealing part of the operation and also acted as a driver, carrying out four trips to London to bring cocaine back to Cardiff.
Mr Bennett said police were able to estimate that the group’s profit would have been in the region of £70,000.
All five defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a Class A drug. Abdi Rahman Hassan was also due to be sentenced for the same charge in relation to another matter in London.
Defending Miller, Andrew Kendall said his client had been under pressure after receiving threats after racking up a cannabis debt.
Derrick Gooden, defending Bashir, said his client performed a limited function in the operation.
Bridget Irving, defending Abdi Rahman Hassan, accepted her client was closely involved in the operation but described him as a trusted member of the group and no more than that. She said he also had a cannabis debt.
Defending Mahmud, Matthew Buckland said his client was only involved in the conspiracy for a short time and had been naive.
And Abigail Bright, defending Muktar Hassan, said her client had shown “real insight and remorse.
Judge Richard Williams sentenced Abdi Rahman Hassan, of Longford Road, Barnet, London, to four years and 10 months in prison with two years and one month added for the London charge.
Muktar Hassan, of Long Berrys, Cricklewood Lane, London, was sentenced to four years and eight months in jail.
Miller, of Dylan Place, Roath, Cardiff, was sentenced to four years in jail.
Mahmud, of Fuller Street, Hendon, London, was sentenced to a jail term of two years and eight months.
Bashir, of Portman Road, Manchester, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.