Five drug dealers operating a sophisticated county lines operation from Birmingham have been sentenced to a combined total of nearly 40 years in prison following a major police investigation.
The WhatsApp Group That Brought Them Down
The criminal network, known as the 'Foxy Line', was uncovered after West Midlands Police arrested Jack Clark in 2023 as part of a separate drugs investigation. Officers examining his phone discovered a WhatsApp group called 'Foxy' containing more than 2,000 members.
The messaging platform had been used to openly advertise drugs, the vehicles delivering them, and collection locations across Birmingham and Solihull. Police analysis of phone data revealed regular contact between Clark and four other men: Ikram Hussain, Amar Khan, and brothers Adil and Gohar Muhammed.
Jewellery Quarter Safe House Uncovered
Detectives from the County Lines Taskforce conducted extensive CCTV checks that tracked the gang's movements, eventually leading them to a safe house in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. The apartment was one of several properties around the city used to store and prepare drugs for distribution.
On June 19 last year, officers raided the apartment and arrested Adil Muhammed, who was subsequently charged with possession with intent to supply. The raid recovered significant evidence including:
- A large quantity of cocaine
- Two mobile phones
- Substantial amounts of cash
- A handwritten debt ledger with names and values
In the building's car park, police found Adil Muhammed's brown Honda Jazz - the same vehicle frequently featured in WhatsApp messages directing customers to collection points. Inside the car, officers discovered a card-reading machine used for processing payments.
Attempted Cover-Up Foiled
Following Adil's arrest, the remaining gang members attempted to continue their operation by transferring the Foxy Line to another SIM card. However, West Midlands Police intensified their investigation.
Amir Khan was arrested after a police pursuit, during which officers recovered cash, a knife, and two phones. Jack Clark was apprehended when police intercepted his taxi journey from one of the safe houses, finding an iPhone that was hosting the resurrected Foxy Line.
Further warrants executed at the addresses of Adil and Gohar Muhammed yielded additional phones. Evidence gathered from all seized devices included promotional images of drugs for sale, with GPS data revealing when and where the photographs were taken.
Substantial Prison Sentences
All five men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs at Birmingham Crown Court on November 7. They received the following sentences:
- Ikram Hussain, 29, of Bordesley Green: 12 years
- Adil Islam Muhammed, 20, of Forth Avenue: 5 years and 7 months
- Gohar Muhammed, 29, of Forth Avenue: 6 years and 9 months
- Amar Khan, 23, of Washwood Heath Road: 9 years and 6 months
- Jack Clark, 25, of Kington Gardens, Solihull: 6 years (including sentence for separate drugs investigation)
Detective Sergeant Gavin McGrath from the County Lines Taskforce stated: "This group supplied drugs to thousands of people around Birmingham and Solihull and the value of drugs was estimated to have been worth around one million pounds."
"We know County Line networks cause misery within our communities as drugs not only ruin lives but also fuel other crime. We're working day in, day out, to bring down drug lines."
The investigation demonstrated how modern technology both facilitated the criminal operation and ultimately provided crucial evidence for their conviction, with the gang incriminating themselves through videos and photographs on their devices.
