'Organised' drugs gang jailed

The gang operated from a house in Ashton-under-Lyne

A drugs gang put under police surveillance for a year, have been jailed for a total of 18 years.

The seven defendants pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and crack cocaine as well as obtaining goods by deception, when they appeared at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court.

They were arrested after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) set up Operation Confidence in November 2002.

Detectives filmed the gang doing deals in the Ashton-under-Lyne area of Greater Manchester, with those buying the drugs often using stolen credit cards and cheques.

On Thursday GMP said the surveillance was concentrated on a house in Burlington Street, Ashton, from where the drugs were stored and distributed.

These individuals were running a well-organised outfit PC Stuart Duncan

Each of the seven people had different roles in the operation, which involved customers either calling at the house or ringing from a phone box and being met on foot or in one of five cars used by the gang.

Pc Stuart Duncan, who was involved in the operation, said: "We are extremely pleased with the results of this operation and the sentences passed.

"These individuals were running a well-organised outfit and although they all had very different roles in the criminal activity there is no doubt that they worked as a co-ordinated gang to sell the drugs and benefit from the profits.

"We know the residents of Ashton don't want to live in an area blighted by drug dealing and we hope the sentences will show them how determined we are to rid the area of drugs."

Those jailed were:

Zubear Hussain, 20, of Courrier Lane in Ashton-under-Lyne, was sentenced to four years after pleading guilty to six counts of supplying heroin.

Each gang member had a different role in the operation

Azar Mohammed, aged 23, from Stockport Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, was sentenced to four years after pleading guilty to two counts of supplying heroin.

Jangir Arif, 21, of Whiteacre Road, Ashton under Lyne, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to four counts of supplying heroin.

Richard Alexander, aged 29, from Ashton Road, Denton, was sentenced to two years after pleading guilty to supplying supply of heroin and one count of possession of heroin.

Denise McGowan, aged 24, from Cavendish Mill, Ashton-under-Lyne, received a one year drugs treatment order, after pleading guilty to supplying heroin and possessing crack cocaine.

Paul Kay, 19, from Elgin Street, Ashton under Lyne, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain property by deception and will be sentenced at a later date.

An 18-year-old man from Ashton under Lyne, who cannot be named because he is involved in separate legal proceedings, was sentenced to four years after pleading guilty to three counts of supplying heroin, one count of supplying crack cocaine, and possession of both drugs.