Newport drug lord’s gang jailed for more than 60 years

A “sophisticated organised crime group” were jailed for more than 60 years after they flooded the streets of Newport and beyond with heroin and crack cocaine.

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Three-strike class A drug lord Aftab Hussain was the brains behind the operation which worked along business lines with a marketing strategy and a client database.

Aftab Hussain

Seven men are serving long prison sentences.

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They are:

• Aftab Hussain, 31, of Laburnum Drive, Newport, jailed for 17 years

Parvis Ishaq

• Parvis Ishaq, 30, of Cyril Street, Newport, jailed for 10 years

• Murtaza Hussain, 24, of Capel Crescent, Newport, jailed for eight years and nine months

• Lewis Farrell, 21, of Herbert Walk, Pill, Newport, jailed for eight years

Murtaza Hussain

• Rizwaan Hussain, 24, of Llanthewy Road, Newport, jailed for six years and eight months

• Avtar Hussain, 26, of Bishpool View, Newport, jailed for seven years

• Mohammed Ali, 38, of no fixed abode, jailed for three years and nine months

Rizwaan Hussain

They were convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine between November 2018 and July 2019.

Addicts were enticed to deal with the gang offering a takeaway delivery service to order drugs in Newport city centre at knock down prices.

Lewis Farrell

Aftab Hussain’s crew operated a 24/7 drugs line delivering heroin and crack cocaine around the clock and they were making around £2,000 a day.

Their vile trade was smashed by Gwent Police after they launched Operation Washington.

It was a painstaking mission that involved officers working undercover and building mobile phone evidence to topple a gang who were making a small fortune.

Avtar Hussain

Drug addicts from as far away as Swansea would travel to Newport – by train and car – to buy cheap drugs in bulk for their own use.

Prosecutor Heath Edwards said the seven were all part of a “successful and lucrative business” that used a central pay-as-you-go mobile phone line to meet the needs of hundreds of customers.

Mohammed Ali

He told Cardiff Crown Court: “They all worked together as part of a conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine to drug addicts in Newport and beyond.

“Each defendant assisted in a different way. It was a successful and lucrative business. The telephone was a valuable commodity.”

Some of the gang are set to face Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings later this year.