Two men who ran a drug dealing line in Luton have been jailed for a total of 14 years.
Farukh Altaf, 33, of Avenue Grimaldi, Luton, was sentenced at Huntingdon Crown Court today (Thursday) to five years and seven months, after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin.
Jailed alongside him was Zubaid Ashraf, 32, of Oakley Road, Luton, who was sentenced to eight years and eight months in jail after pleading guilty to supplying cocaine and heroin plus possession of criminal property.
The two men were arrested following an investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) into the commercial supply of Class A drugs.
Ashraf headed up a drug dealing line supplying wholesale quantities of cocaine and heroin onto other dealers for onward sale.
Detective Inspector Dave Skarratts said: “Ashraf and Altaf were operating at the top end of the drugs supply business, overseeing deals of thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and heroin.
“The supply of Class A drugs is inextricably linked to many different crime types, all of which can have a serious impact on those in our local communities, which is why it’s vital we continue to use our specialist tactics to uncover these groups and put those responsible behind bars.”
He was supported by Altaf, who played a pivotal role in the orchestration of the supply of the Class A drugs.
Altaf was arrested in January after being stopped by police, following a lengthy investigation conducted by specialist officers from ERSOU. A subsequent search of his car found a cardboard box containing approximately five kilograms of Class A drugs, and £2,000 in cash was also recovered from him home address.
Ashraf was arrested later the same day after being observed to give the drugs to Altaf. A total of £75,000 of cash was found alongside a Rolex watch stashed in a paper bag inside the house of Ashraf.
