| The final member of a Bedford drugs gang which cuckooed a flat in the town and subjected vulnerable adults inside to “torture and humiliation” has been jailed.
Four men who ran the ‘Ginge’ county drugs line are now facing almost 26 years behind bars, with two leading gang members having used “extreme violence with weapons” against some of their vulnerable victims.
When £300 of cocaine was alleged to have been taken, gang members Samadul Islam and Muhammed Ali subjected three victims inside the cuckooed flat to “significant violence and derogation”.
The two men at various stages forced an antique shotgun into one of the victim’s mouths, hit another around the head with a machete, as well as forcing some to strip naked in order to find where the drugs had gone.
One of the victims was then marched to a cash point and forced to pay the gang over £200.
Islam, the suspected head of the county line, was yesterday (Wednesday) sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison, having been found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment, blackmail, possession of an imitation firearm, two counts of assault and criminal damage.
He had pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply both cocaine and heroin.
Last month Ali was sentenced to a total of nine years in prison, with a further three years on licence, after being found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment, conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin, two counts of assault, criminal damage and having a bladed article.
Amirul Hussain was last year sentenced to four years for conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.
At the same time, Naimour Ahmed was sentenced to four years for conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin.
This is the brutal reality of the illegal drugs trade.
We have a relentless focus on tackling the organised criminal gangs behind drug dealing because they pose huge risks in terms of carrying out extreme violence or inhumane exploitation, both of which we have seen on full display in this truly shocking case.
Would you be able to spot the signs of cuckooing? Would you know where to turn to get help?
More information about this case and cuckooing is available to view on our website. |
