Coventry drugs gang jailed for 40 years after year-long investigation busts empire

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The drugs network leader was running the business from behind bars



A Coventry drugs gang have been jailed for a total of 40 years after a year-long investigation into a drugs empire.

The empire had been ran by Tavaseen Iqbal from behind bars at HMP Featherstone in Wolverhampton, who was jailed in December 2015 for six years for firearms and drugs offences

The year-long investigation revealed that Iqbal, formerly of Courthouse Green, ran the drugs business - which supplied cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy - from his cell in prison.

He used mobile phones smuggled into the prison to direct cousin Said Iqbal, so the 24-year-old could receive regular updates on deals they’d struck from the prison.

Saif, 23, from Ransom Road, Foleshill, co-ordinated the supply chain and managed ‘safe houses’ from where the drugs were distributed.

Detectives launched an enquiry into the nine-strong group following concerns raise by members of the public about the men and addresses they used.

It uncovered links to Haroon Tasharat, 33, from Dunbar Avenue; Rohan Patel, 22, from Alum Close; and 23-year-old Mahmud Ali from St George’s Road who also played parts in the conspiracy and kept the drugs business rolling around the clock.

An address in Humber Avenue, Stoke, was identified as the main preparation centre where Dahiru Barka (28), along with brothers Elijah (19) and 22-year-old Samuel Enenche-John, lived and allowed their home to be used to weigh and bag-up orders.

Seven of the men were arrested during synchronised raids on 13 July last year. Patel was arrested later after returning from abroad, while Rohaib Iqbal – Saif Iqbal’s brother – was arrested in September after picking up the business reins following the other arrests.

All nine admitted involvement in the drugs supply chain and were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday (March 3).

Tavaseen and Saif Iqbal were both jailed for six years eight months; Patel and Ali handed five year eight month sentences; Tasharat imprisoned for four years, and Barka three years four months after they all admitted conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs.

The two Iqbals were also banned from driving for five years and have been bound by a Criminal Behaviour Order for the next eight years.

Conditions of the order include restricting them to a maximum of two mobile phones – a move designed to hinder any future drug dealing – and they are forced to provide police with details of any cars they own or drive.

Samuel and Elijah Enenche-John were handed one year and one year two months jail terms respectively for allowing their home to be used in drugs preparation, while Rohaib Iqbal was given three years four months for drugs supply.

Coventry Police Sergeant Lesley Meade, said: “This was a well-established drug gang who would have caused untold misery to people across Coventry, profiting from other people’s suffering.

“Over the course of the operation we seized 1.2kg of cocaine and MDMA and nearly a kilo of cannabis, plus £12,000 in cash, but it’s likely they processed far more drugs and money during the running of the business.

“We seized three mobile phones from Tavaseen when his cell in HMP Featherstone was raided.

“We’re thankful to the community members who raised their concerns and sparked our investigation. Such information is vital in our fight against crime; we will always take it seriously and take action where we can.”

The investigation formed part of Operation Blue Steel – a concerted clampdown on organised crime and crime families operating in the city.

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Why are the lot not on a deportation order after their sentences are served?

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Drug kingpin who ran empire from prison stripped of thousands of pounds



A Coventry drug dealer who continued to run his empire from behind bars has been stripped of his ill-gotten gains.

Tavaseen Iqbal was jailed in 2015 after a sawn-off pump-action shotgun was found during a raid at his home in Courthouse Green.

The illegal firearm was found along with large amounts of the stimulant M-cat and cannabis, class B drugs worth around £3,500 and a small amount of cocaine.

Iqbal pleaded guilty to drug offences and possessing an illegal firearm and was handed a six-year prison sentence.

However, this didn’t deter the now 25-year-old who simply smuggled three mobile phones in to his cell and continued to pull the strings on deals involving cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy.

It took police a year to piece together the evidence to finally put an end to Iqbal’s dealings and slap him with another six years in prison in March 2017 after he admitted conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs.

And this week saw Iqbal appear in court as police looked to take away the money he had made.

Following a successful Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing at Birmingham Crown Court, Iqbal was stripped of £2,025.

Also subject to the POCA hearing was the drug dealer’s cousin, Saif Iqbal, who co-ordinated the drugs supply chain and managed ‘safe houses’ from where the drugs were distributed while Tavaseen was inside HMP Featherstone, in Staffordshire.

The 24-year-old, from Ransom Road, Foleshill, was jailed for six years and eight months last year after also pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, and was this week ordered to pay £5,860.

Four other members of the Coventry drugs gang - Rohan Patel, Mahmud Ali, Haroon Tasharat and Dahiru Barka - also admitted the same charge and were handed sentences ranging from three years and four months to five years and eight months.

Tasharat was ordered to pay £4,055, Ali £1,935 and Patel £110, and Barka made to forfeit £220 to police meaning the POCA action against him was withdrawn.

The total amount of money recovered POCA hearing was £14,205.