Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Smethwick brothers who run 24-hour drugs network jailed

The siblings showed off their ill-gotten wealth by posting photos of designer watches, luxury cars and bundles of cash.

Smethwick brothers who run 24-hour drugs network jailed

Two brothers from Smethwick who ran a 24-hour County Lines drugs network in Stoke-on-Trent have been jailed.

Mohammed Awais Khan and Mohammed Luqman Khan showed off their ill-gotten wealth by posting photos of designer watches, luxury cars and bundles of cash.

Awais, 27, who called himself 'Snowman 24' for his ability to supply cocaine round the clock will undergo imprisonment for 11 years and six months and Luqman will be behind bars for seven years and two months.

They ran the drugs racket from their homes - meeting users outside shops and pubs and dropping to home addresses.

But their enterprise collapsed after County Lines Taskforce detectives caught wind of their illegal activity. They arrested Awais from his home in St Pauls Road, Smethwick, on January 27 this year. This was followed by the arrest of Luqman, 24.

The defendants’ mobile phones and communications data evidence revealed the extent of their criminal network.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how the siblings had sent bulk messages to drug users and how much money they had been making. Their phones seized during the investigation contained pictures of large bundles of cash, expensive watches and high-end vehicles.

The duo pleaded guilty to supplying the Class-A drug, leading up to their conviction and sentencing.

Detective Superintendent Syed Hussain, who is the West Midlands Police lead for County Lines, said drug dealers like the Khan siblings would ruin the lives of vulnerable people.

He said County Lines Taskforce officers - a team of investigators who identify and target drug lines - worked hard to stop them and bring them to justice.

He said County Lines gangs should “know they are in our sights” as the officers round the clock to bust their networks.

“Communities are left destroyed by County Lines”, he said after the sentencing and added, “we are determined to stop people like the Khan brothers from profiting from the misery of others.”

More For You

Former police officer arrested in Rotherham investigation

Investigators believe the earlier offences happened between 1995 and 2002 (Photo for representation: iStock)

Former police officer arrested in Rotherham investigation

A FORMER police officer has been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into child sexual abuse in Rotherham, authorities revealed on Tuesday (1).

The former constable, who is in his 50s, was taken into custody on Monday (31). He is suspected of raping a teenage girl in the South Yorkshire town in 2004, according to officials.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi Xi

Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping during their meeting in October 2024.

75 years of India-China relations: Modi, Xi call for stronger ties

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping exchanged messages on Tuesday to mark the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations.

Modi stated that the development of bilateral ties contributes to global stability and a multipolar world, while Xi called for a "dragon-elephant tango" to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gujarat-blast-ANI

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed. (Photo: ANI)

ANI

Death toll rises to 21 in Gujarat firework factory explosion

AN EXPLOSION at an illegal firecracker factory in Gujarat's Deesa town killed 21 people and injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

Child benefit, normally paid every four weeks directly into bank accounts, has undergone significant changes in recent months (Photo: Getty Images)

Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

MILLIONS of British families are set to receive a financial boost as child benefit payments increase from April 7, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

From next week, parents will receive £26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, amounting to £1,354.60 annually - up from the current rate of £25.60. For each additional child, payments will rise to £17.25 weekly, totalling £897 per year - an increase from the present £16.95 rate. This represents a 1.7 per cent increase across all payment categories.

Keep ReadingShow less