Three Birmingham men have been sentenced to prison for orchestrating a county lines drug operation that supplied heroin and crack cocaine to Weston-super-Mare, using the code words 'coffee and milk' for orders. The group, operating the 'Chase line', was dismantled after a police investigation.
Details of the operation
Zaheer Hussain, 27, Safraz Ali, 27, and Bashir Hassan, 20, were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court this week. Ali, of Handsworth, managed the drugs line from Birmingham, while Hassan, of Saltley, travelled to resupply dealers. Hussain, from the Jewellery Quarter, collected cash from users. At its peak, the line had an estimated 2,700 customers.
Court sentencing and impact
Judge Walkling KC stated: "Class A drugs do terrible damage to communities. Those who sell addictive class A drugs for their own profit are rightly punished with sentences of immediate custody." Hassan received six years, while Hussain and Ali got five years and seven months each. All pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
The court heard the men claimed they acted under duress, working to pay off debts. Defence lawyers argued they followed instructions and faced threats. The sentences reflect the seriousness of county lines exploitation and drug-related harm.
