Gang behind £4m drugs operation jailed for 142 years

A dozen members of a gang who conspired to bring cocaine and heroin into Lincolnshire have been jailed for a combined total of 142 years imprisonment.

It follows a year-long investigation (Operation INTRUDER) by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU).

Officers found that a combined total value of £4 million of heroin and cocaine had been supplied by the crime group, from Yorkshire to the East Midlands, in what was a highly organised and efficient running operation.

The investigation led to 11 members of the gang pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and one person found guilty following a four week trial:

• Asif Laher (30), of Banks Street, Batley, Kirklees.
• Darren Peters (50), of Boston Road, Sleaford
• Tawqeer Hussain (23), of Carrside Crescent, Batley, Kirklees.
• Neil Anthony Greenfield (36), of Lenton Way, Frampton, Boston.
• Peter David Needham (42), of Ancaster Mews, Chapel St Leonards.
• Mikolaj Porazewski (20), of Ingelow Avenue, Boston.
• Andrew Patrick Baker (32), of Almond Walk, Boston.
• Gemma Doherty (33), of Aspen Road, Eckington, Sheffield
• Kasim Hussain (29), of HMP Doncaster
• John Alan Richard Emmingham (34), of John Street, Worksop
• Nasarat Mohammed (30), of Swarcliffe Road, Sheffield, (found guilty after trial).
• Mohammed Abdul ALI (25) 41, Collister Drive, Sheffield

Five of the offenders pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. These were:
• Gary Johnson (41), of Queensway, Potterhanworth, Lincoln.
• Neil Anthony Greenfield (36), of Lenton Way Frampton, Boston.
• Peter David Needham of (42), of Ancaster Mews, Chapel St Leonards.
• Aaron James Radford (38), of Highbury Road, Bulwell
• Jason Gooch (42), of Crown Flat Way, Dewsbury, Kirklees, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14-years at a previous hearing.

Both Laher and Tawqeer Hussain also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine.

Cocaine conspiracy

In November 2016, Needham was arrested on the A46, and was found with 2kg of high quality cocaine which had been collected from Radford.

It conspired that Notts distributor Radford was supplied by Gooch, who pleaded guilty earlier this year following a trial for a similar offence and was sentenced to 14-years imprisonment for his involvement in both investigations.

Investigations identified that Greenfield, the head of the Lincolnshire OCG, and his right-hand man and courier Needham, had met with Radford on at least 23 occasions in relation to the supply of cocaine.

It was established that via Radford and others around 20kg of cocaine was supplied to Greenfield for onward distribution to others within Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire including Lincoln Cocaine dealer Gary Johnson.

Heroin investigation

Between June 2016 and March 2017, Asif Laher (released from HMP following a previous drugs supplier offence in October 2016) and Tawqeer Hussain were found to be supplying heroin on a commercial scale into Notts and Lincs.

This supply network was arranged and controlled by Lincs OCG boss Darren Peters. Peters, through his control of Greenfield, arranged for Needham to collect the Heroin, which was then distributed by Greenfield, Needham & Porazewski to other dealers including Baker, a Boston based Heroin supplier and Emmingham, a Worksop based heroin dealer, in what was a sophisticated and organised operation.

Following the arrest of Needham in November 2016, Greenfield stepped into a more prominent role in the Heroin supply and became ‘hands on’ in the collection of heroin from the West Yorkshire suppliers Tawqeer Hussain and Laher. Evidence found on electronic devices showed that Laher and Hussain were involved in drugs supply on a vast scale and in March 2018 they both pleaded guilty to a further conspiracy to supply crack cocaine.

At least 20 meetings between Needham, Greenfield and the Dewsbury based suppliers in furtherance of the supply of heroin were identified, all arranged and controlled by Peters.

On 22 Feb 2018, Greenfield met with Emmingham in Retford, and was then arrested on the A1 north of Newark. Half a kilo of heroin and a significant amount of cash was found; this seizure was forensically linked to Peters, Baker and Emmingham.

Following this further enforcement on the Lincolnshire OCG Emmingham identified a further supply chain for his Heroin. This was a Sheffield based team, led by Kasim Hussain – a serving prisoner at HMP Doncaster.

Hussain coincidentally also sourced his Heroin from Laher & Tawqeer Hussain and used members of his own Sheffield OCG including Nasarat Mohammed & Mohammed Abdul ALI to supply Emmingham with over 3 KG of Heroin. Gemma Doherty was sent to Worksop as a courier to collect the cash prior to the drugs being supplied.

On 14th March 2017, Mohammed & Ali delivered a package to Emmingham following which the police raided his home. Emmingham was observed throwing a package into his own garden which was identified as half a kilo of Heroin. Seven other trips were established to have taken place in the preceding weeks.

Trials

A trial at Birmingham Crown Court at the end of last year (2017) and Trials of issue in August 2018 saw the gang brought to court for their actions.

12 of the defendants were sentenced on 13 and 16 November at Birmingham Crown, and received the following sentences:

• Asif Laher (30), of Banks Street, Batley, Kirklees –21 years.
• Tawqeer Hussain (23), of Carrside Crescent, Batley, Kirklees – 8 years 3 months.
• Neil Anthony Greenfield (36), of Lenton Way, Frampton, Boston – 18 years 9 months.
• Peter David Needham (42), of Ancaster Mews, Chapel St Leonards – 16 years 9 months.
• Mikolaj Porazewski (20), of Ingelow Avenue, Boston – 4 years 6 months
• Andrew Patrick Baker (32), of Almond Walk, Boston – 5 years 3 months.
• Kasim Hussain (29), of HMP Doncaster – 6 years 9 months.
• John Alan Richard Emmingham (34), of John Street, Worksop – 20 years 3 months
• Nasarat Mohammed (30), of Swarcliffe Road, Sheffield, (found guilty after trial) – 7 years 6 months
• Mohammed Abdul ALI (25) 41, Collister Drive, Sheffield – 4 years 3 months.
• Gary Johnson (41), of Queensway, Potterhanworth, Lincoln – 9 years 3 months.
• Aaron James Radford (38), of Highbury Road, Bulwell – 19 years
• Jason Gooch (42), of Crown Flat Way, Dewsbury, Kirklees, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14-years at a previous hearing.

Darren Peters & Gemma Doherty are to be sentenced at a later date.

DI Paul McMahon, of EMSOU, said: “These individuals were responsible for the organised supply of vast quantities of Class A drugs from West Yorkshire into the East Midlands.

“High value organised drugs supply ‘businesses’ bring an increase in acquisitive crime & violence to the communities in this region.

“These convictions show that even in challenging financial times Lincolnshire Police & EMSOU will continue to protect the public by tackling complex serious crime head on.”