Drug-dealing gang jailed for more than 25 years

Six members of a gang have been jailed for their part in supplying class A drugs to the streets of Leicester and Leicestershire.

The group ran the ‘ZK line’ and used a phone to send bulk texts to would-be buyers of crack cocaine and heroin. The line was primarily operated by 32-year-old Tariq Gul, Firoz Khan, 35 and 39-year-old Akbar Osman.

They employed Mohim Uddin, 33, 24-year-old Adam Fradj and Adam Caird, 37 – also known as Daniel McKenzie – as their runners to sell the drugs on the street and from an address in Saxby Street.

On 29 August last year, Osman was arrested and was found in possession of the mobile phone used to operate the line as well as 48 wraps of crack cocaine that he was intending to take the Saxby Street property.

The following month, officers carried out enforcement at that address and found 83 wraps of crack cocaine and 25 wraps of heroin inside. All men were arrested that day – including Gul – who was attempting to flee the UK.

At a previous court hearing, Fradj, Uddin and Caird pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply of crack cocaine and one count of conspiracy to supply of heroin. Gul, Osman and Khan were found guilty of the same offences in June following a trial.

On Friday (9 August), at Leicester Crown Court:

• Gul, of Belgrave Boulevard, Leicester, was sentenced to 11 years
• Osman, of Fieldfare Walk, Leicester and Khan, of Wakefield Place, Leicester, were both sentenced to seven years and six months
• Caird, of Saxby Street, Leicester, was sentenced to 55 months
• Uddin, of Saxby Street, Leicester, was sentenced to 31 months
• Fradj, of Saxby Street, Leicester, was sentenced to 30 months

PC Niall Simpson, the investigating officer, said: “The force has a zero-tolerance approach to the supply and distribution of drugs.

“I hope the outcome of this case can provide some reassurances to our communities that we will identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”