'Shameless' Accrington drug gangs jailed for total of more than 50 years

The convictions come after the long-running Operation Sark investigation into heroin and crack cocaine supply in Accrington, launched in November 2018.

The operation focused on two gangs – The General Line and The Flash Line – who used violence against their rivals to claim and mark their territory, known as 'taxing', and intimidation to force children into selling drugs for them.

The gangs targeted vulnerable boys in local authority accommodation and trained them to sell drugs on the streets of Accrington.

The victims, who were as young as 16, were also ordered to store and package drugs from their accommodation.

Police identified The General Line gang was headed up by 30-year-old Amar Hussain, who ran the lucrative drug supply network.

The General Line, which was a telephone number people rang to buy class A drugs, was also linked to the ‘Baz’ and ‘Taz' drugs lines that Hussain also ran.

Top row, left to right: Shayzul Miah, Thomas Edwards, Hmaad Bashir and Nathan Walker

Row two: David Pye, Martin Jackson, Jacob Fisher and Connor Coulburn

Row three: Naomi Winters, Bradley Ridsdale, Iftikar Asghar and Charles Wigglesworth

Bottom row: Colin Cardwell, Bilal Yousaf, Aleem Mahmood and Michael Hall

A police spokesperson said: "Over 170 days up to May 2019, it is estimated those lines received 100 calls or text per day and generated around £340,000 in cash from the sale of drugs.

"Evidence obtained from covert police operations found Hussain bought drugs in bulk from Lancashire, West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, and he managed the phones that told street dealers where to deliver customer orders to.

"He also purchased designer clothes for his dealers – sometimes paying for them in part with drugs – and groomed them to ensure he made as much money as he could without coming to the attention of the police. Similar tactics were employed by the Flash Line OCG.

"The General Line operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week and Hussain continued to run his operation while on trial at Preston Crown Court for an unrelated matter for which he was eventually acquitted."

Hussain's right-hand man was 25-year-old Hmaad Bashir who answered the phones and told street dealers where to go.

Thomas Edwards, 24, played a similar role to Bashir in the conspiracy and his partner – 21-year-old Ella Smith – took phone calls to the dealer line, packaged drugs and let the group use her home as a base.

Brandon Wilson, 18, 19-year-old Aleem Mahmood, 19-year-old Tyler O’Neill, 26-year-old Connor Coulburn, and 22-year-old Jacob Fisher, 30-year-old Naomi Winter, 18-year-old Stephan Milton and 30-year-old Nathan Walker occupied various roles within the OCG from organisers to street dealers.

Taxi driver Bilal Yousaf, 27, acted as a chauffeur and regularly provided transport for Hussain and Bashir while they were engaged in their drug-dealing activities.

The Flash Line, which also operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, was run by Sohail Khan and an associate, who directed dealers where to go, bought and sold drugs and used violence. On one occasion Sohail Khan boasted about slashing the hand of one of their dealers for stealing from him.

Among the hierarchy of The Flash Line was Iftikar Asghar, whose home at the time in Water Street, Accrington, was used as an operating base for the gang. Large quantities of drugs were stored, packaged and sold from that house.

Other gang members who looked after drugs and cash and dealer phones were Marban Hussain, who also acted as a driver, Bradley Ridsdale and Colin Cardwell.

Operating as street dealers for The Flash Line were Jake Chambers, Michael Hall and Charles Wigglesworth.

During the investigation officers uncovered the illegal activities of Shayzul Miah, David Pye and Martin Jackson who were running their own dealer lines.

Over recent months individuals charged as part of Operation Sark have been sentenced at Preston Crown Court, including six members of the Flash Line and Wigglesworth who were sentenced yesterday on Tuesday. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Michael Hall who failed to attend the sentencing hearing.

All 24 defendants were charged with conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

The defendants who pleaded guilty were sentenced to the following:

Amar Hussain, of Higher Antley Street, Accrington – eight years.

Sohail Khan, 24, of Clement Street, Accrington - eight years and three months.

Shayzul Miah, 31, of Fountain Street, Accrington – 58 months

Thomas Edwards, of Dickens Road, Chorley – four years.

Hmaad Bashir, of Higher Antley Street, Accrington – seven years.

Connor Coulburn, of Dale Street, Bacup – four years.

Nathan Walker, of Milnshaw Lane, Accrington – four years.

David Pye, 43, of Leger Court, Accrington -45 months.

Martin Jackson, 44, of no fixed address – 39 months.

Jacob Fisher, of James Avenue, Great Harwood – three years and six months.

Charles Wigglesworth, 38, of Spencer Street, Accrington – three years and two months.

Naomi Winters, of no fixed address – three years and two months.

Bradley Ridsdale, 22, of Weardale Avenue, Northumberland – three years.

Iftikar Asghar, 49, of Lincoln Street, Wakefield –two years and four months.

Colin Cardwell, 24, of St Paul’s Court, Accrington – two years and four months.

Ella Smith, of Dickens Road, Chorley – two years imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Brandon Wilson, of Higher Antley Street, Accrington – two years imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Tyler O’Neil, of Parker Street, Preston, two years imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Stephan Milton, of Willows Lane, Accrington – a three-year supervision order.

Jake Chambers, 22, of Poplar Avenue, Todmorden – two years imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Michael Hall, 32, of Clement Street, Accrington – warrant issued for his arrest.

The defendants who were found guilty after trial were sentenced to the following:

Bilal Yousaf, of Richmond Road, Accrington – four years.

Aleem Mahmood, of Garbett Street, Accrington – four years.

Marban Hussain, 53, of Jannat Close, Accrington - two years imprisonment, suspended for two years.

DCI Tim Brown, of East Division, said: “These OCGs, led by Amar Hussain and Sohail Khan deliberately targeted and shamelessly exploited some of the most vulnerable members of society for their own financial gain. These individuals thought they were untouchable and believed they could go on making the lives of their victims, and the many residents who were forced to live their law-abiding lives around them, a misery forever.

“I welcome the sentences handed out to the members of this gang, particularly those for Amar Hussain and Sohail Khan, and I hope it sends a clear message that Lancashire Constabulary and its partner agencies will use all methods at their disposal to disrupt the work of organised criminals.

“I would encourage anybody who has concerns about criminal activity in their area to let the police know about it and, as demonstrated by this case, we will pro-actively act on that information.”

To report a crime in your area call police on 101 or report it online via https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/. If a crime is in progress call 999.