WIREDGOV

A third man has been jailed for using an apartment in Bradford city centre to mix large quantities of class A drugs and distribute them across West Yorkshire.
 
Rameez Anjum, 28, of Cross Road, Bradford pleaded guilty to possessing a section 5 firearm in February 2018, but faced a re-trial for conspiring to supply class A drugs. On 16 July 2018 he pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court to conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. He was sentenced to eight years and two months in prison. This will run concurrent to the five years for his earlier plea in February.

Mohammed Abbas Azeem, 31, of Cross Road Bradford, and Shaun Kellett, 42, of no fixed abode, were sentenced to 14 years and five years respectively in February 2018 for conspiring to supply class A drugs.

The three were arrested in August 2016 by officers from the National Crime Agency’s Armed Operations Unit and West Yorkshire Police.

Officers had been watching an apartment rented by Anjum and had seen Azeem and Anjum visit throughout the day. Investigators arrested Azeem on suspicion of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs as he left the apartment in his car. They recovered a number of mobile phones and found a set of keys for the apartment in his pocket.

Using the keys, officers gained entry to the apartment where they found Kellett hoovering, with the taps in the bathroom running. Officers believe he had been flushing drugs away and hoovering up evidence. They arrested him on suspicion of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs.

When they searched the two bedroom apartment, officers found a food blender that had been used to mix drugs with cutting agents and found traces of heroin and cocaine in the hoover. They also found drug paraphenalia, including clear plastic bags, scales, masks and heat sealers. Analysis confirmed they were all contaminated with heroin.

Officers estimate that hundreds of kilos of class A drugs had potentially been cut and distributed from the apartment.

Anjum was arrested later that evening. When his house was searched, 3.5 kilos of heroin - with a potential street value of £280,000 - was recovered, along with a .38 starter pistol, which had been converted to fire live rounds, and six rounds of ammunition hidden under a mattress. Officers also seized a number of mobile phones.

Angela McKenna, Head of Profession NCA Firearms at the National Crime Agency, said:
“We believe this investigation has significantly disrupted the activities of a well organised crime group who were responsible for distributing large quantities of class A drugs across West Yorkshire.

“These individuals were involved in serious criminality and given the fact a firearm and ammunition were recovered, they were clearly a danger to the public. We will continue to work with our colleagues from West Yorkshire Police to tackle the violent nature of those involved in this level of criminality.”