The Law Today The Drug Files

  An investigation is underway after thousands of cannabis plants were found in a property in Hillingdon. Officers were called to the building at 09:36hrs on Wednesday, 27 January after a report of suspicious activity. When they entered the property, they found approximately 5,000 plants, along with equipment capable of growing plants. One room alone had 1,800 plants. The plants are thought to have had a street value of around a quarter of a million pounds.   They have now been recovered and an investigation is underway to establish the circumstances of the find. Police Sergeant Crystal Govers, of the West Area Basic Command Unit, said:   "Drugs have a devastating impact on communities and individuals and we will do everything we can to remove them from the streets. "We will act upon intelligence from members of the public and would urge anyone who is aware of suspicious activity in your area to report it to the police as soon as possible." Anyone with information is ask

  A man has been convicted of drugs offences after a teenage boy was coerced to deal drugs on his behalf. Abdur Rakib – 21 (13.10.99) of Sclater Street, E1 pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and modern slavery following a hearing at Guildford Crown Court on 2 July 2020. On Wednesday, 20 January, at the same court, he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work. Rakib was part of a group of three men who made contact with a 13-year-old boy via Snapchat, asking if the boy wanted to make ‘easy money’. After arranging to meet the boy in Tower Hamlets on 27 December 2019, Rakib drove him to Guildford, Surrey where he was kept in a room, with the intention that he deal class A drugs on the group’s behalf. The boy’s mother, concerned for his welfare, managed to make contact with him and police were informed.   Metropolitan Police officers attended the location and located the boy – he was un

Officers from the Met’s Violent Crime Taskforce have arrested a man in Newham following a vehicle stop. Shortly before 21:00hrs on Monday, 11 January, officers witnessed a vehicle driving erratically, at speed, south on High Street in Plaistow, E13. The vehicle, which was known to police for making off on previous occasions, was stopped at Northern Road, E13. The driver of the vehicle repeatedly refused to get out of the car prompting officers to remove the keys from the ignition to prevent it making off. When the driver eventually got out of the car he was unsteady on his feet and a strong smell of cannabis emanated from the vehicle.   The suspect was detained for the purpose of a search, but attempted to flee the scene on foot. He was quickly detained by officers and handcuffed. Inside the vehicle a large bag of cannabis was found under the driver’s seat. The 26-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug (cannabis); he was

  Detectives have charged eight people with drug-related offences following early morning warrants that were conducted in Tower Hamlets on Wednesday, 16 December. All appeared in custody at Thames Magistrates’ Court and have been dealt with as follows: [A] Junel Ahmed, 25 (24.01.95), of Tower Hamlets, was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine) and was remanded in custody to appear Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, 14 January. [B] Shuhel Ahmed, 30 (19.03.90), of Tower Hamlets, was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine) and was bailed to attend Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, 14 January. [C] Mamun Ali, 39 (15.03.81), of Tower Hamlets, was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was remanded in custody to appear Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, 14 January. [D] Mizanur Rahman, 28 (16.10.92), of Tower Hamlets, was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs (heroin

  An eighth person has been charged following an early morning raid in Coulsdon as part of an ongoing investigation into county lines drugs supply. Romario Genus, 18 (10.10.02), of Paxton Grove in Coulsdon was charged with: conspiracy to supply crack cocaine; conspiracy to supply heroin; possession with intent to supply crack cocaine; possession with intent to supply heroin; possession of criminal property and possession of cannabis. He was remanded in custody to appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on 18 December. Officers from the Violent Crime Taskforce, Territorial Support Group and local South Area BCU took part in the warrant around 05:00hrs on Thursday, 17 December. Seven people have already been charged as part of the same investigation. [A] Jamie Danquah, 22 (02.05.98) of Strathmore Road, Croydon was charged with conspiring to supply a class A drugs (heroin), conspiring to supply a class A controlled drug (crack cocaine), possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of c

  Two men who were part of a gang producing drugs and laundering money have been sentenced following a proactive investigation by the Met’s Specialist Operations Crime Disruption Unit. The operation brought to an end the illegal activities of a four-man organised criminal gang who were involved in producing class A drugs, supplying class A and B drugs, money laundering and possession of counterfeit currency. Paul El-Shahar, 42 (19.11.1978) of no fixed abode and Mark Richard Ryan, 35 (23.10.1985) of Shrewsbury Street, Kensington and Chelsea, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, 14 December.   El-Shahar, was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment, having previously been convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to produce class A drugs, money laundering and possession of counterfeit currency. Ryan was sentenced to eleven years and six months for the same offences. The criminal gang's activity first came to officers' attention during the investigation of a

  A man from east London who was caught supplying class A drugs has been jailed following a proactive investigation by specialist officers. Appearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, 11 December, James Davidson, 33 (23.02.87), of The Quarterdeck, Tower Hamlets, E14, was sentenced to six years and eight months' imprisonment.  At a previous appearance on Friday, 6 November, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine). At approximately 15:20hrs on 12 May, Specialist Crime officers from the Metropolitan Police were deployed on a surveillance operation in the Isle of Dogs area. Davidson was seen driving a white Smart car to an address and meeting an unknown man before handing him a package. The male was observed to sniff the package before handing it back to Davidson. Davidson then drove off and met with a woman, near to his home address. He directed her to a white van nearby. She walked up to the van and then returned to Davidson carrying a box. She headed ba