Drug gang ringleader jailed

Mohammed Bilal Ahmed, aged 21 and of Gladstone Street, Bradford, organised a group of street dealers to peddle heroin and crack cocaine in Harrogate and Scarborough before handing the profits over to him.

Ahmed recruited drug addicts to do his dirty work, directing operations from Bradford using a mobile phone, between April and August 2014.

Ahmed, who was also known as ‘T’ was arrested on August 14 2014, after an investigation by officers in North Yorkshire Police Organised Crime Unit.

He was sentenced at York Crown Court on Friday February 13, after being found guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

Detective Inspector Jason Marchant, of North Yorkshire Police’s Organised Crime Unit, said: “Mohammed Ahmed preyed on vulnerable drug users to do his dirty work for him, while he stayed out of the way in Bradford waiting for the money to come in.

“Thanks to some in-depth investigation by North Yorkshire Police officers, we were able to prove that Ahmed was heavily involved in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine in the Harrogate and Scarborough areas and was, in fact, the main organiser and supplier of the drugs.”

Seven people from the Scarborough area and two people from Harrogate were arrested in connection with the conspiracy and are either awaiting or undergoing court proceedings.