Drugs gang leader jailed for seven and a half years

The young leader of a drugs gang which flooded the university town of Aberystwyth with heroin has been jailed for seven and a half years. Haroon Amir, 20, who because of his age will serve the first few months of his sentence in youth custody, commanded a network of dealers, Robin Rouch told Swansea Crown Court. And Amir’s “chief lieutenant”, 21-year-old Adil Shah, was jailed for four years. The close friends, both from Wolverhampton, had denied charges of possessing heroin with intent to supply and money laundering but were convicted earlier this year by a jury. The court heard Amir hit on the idea of supplying heroin from Wolverhampton to Aberystwyth where there had previously been a “paucity of supply”. Mr Rouch said Amir kept a close watch on the drugs operation and on those who were involved in it. A major Dyfed Powys Police operation began after a number of people carrying heroin “street deals” were arrested in cars or on trains coming to Wales from Wolverhampton. They had all started their journeys in Wolverhampton and had been heading for Aberystwyth. Mr Rouch said: “It soon became clear that a new gang had moved into town.” The court heard that cash from street deals in Aberystwyth was deposited into accounts at the Lloyds TSB and Abbey National branches in the town. Then, after texts or telephone calls, “almost simultaneously” the same amounts would be withdrawn in bank branches in Wolverhampton. Other members of the gang are due to be sentenced later this week but Judge Huw Davies QC said yesterday he was satisfied it was Amir who played the leading role in the operation with Shah having an “operational management” role. He described Shah, who was arrested in the foyer of Aberystwyth’s Marine Hotel in February 2010, as Amir’s chief lieutenant. The judge said Shah stopped his involvement in drugs after the arrest but after his arrest at around the same time, Amir continued to lead the drugs supply operation. Judge Davies said Amir was “undeterred” by the arrest and he began “bringing in substitutes” for suppliers and other who were arrested. He said it was not until June 2010 that Amir’s activities in Aberystwyth were finally brought to an end. The judge said the supply of heroin had a “pernicious effect” on the community of Aberystwyth. He said: “Aberystwyth is a small town and there is an unusually large number of young people there because of its significance as a university town. “The damage done by heroin all too often is damage done to young people, marking their lives for a very long time.” He told Amir and Shah: “The availability of heroin in Aberystwyth was substantially increased because of your activities.” The court heard both defendants had previous histories of possession of cannabis. The judge said as part of the operation, a woman came to Aberystwyth from Wolverhampton by train and was arrested with 134, £20 street deals of heroin. And a man was arrested taking the same route by train with 181 street deals of heroin on him. The judge was told while in Aberystwyth, Shah used the false name “Adam” with a false surname and claimed to be from Coventry. Mr Rouch said Amir travelled to Aberystwyth when the police began making arrests of street dealers. The court heard since being given bail following his arrest, Shah’s character had changed and he was a hard working member of staff at his uncle’s takeaway restaurant business in Wolverhampton where he had risen to the role of manager.