Drug dealing Newport brothers locked up for 32 years

Mureed Hussain, 30, Mujtaba Hussain, 29, and Ali Hussain, 20, were from Newport and had all moved to Birmingham.

But they used their extensive contacts in the Newport criminal underworld to travel down from the West Midlands to sell class A drugs in the Somerton and Maindee areas of the city.

Prosecutor Laurence Jones told Cardiff Crown Court how the brothers were running a profitable drugs line using burner phones.

Between June 2021 and February 2022, more than 10,000 text bombs were sent out to prospective customers.

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When addresses in Birmingham linked to the trio were raided, police seized a kilo block of heroin, a £25,000 Rolex watch and £25,000 in cash.

Mureed Hussain

The heroin could have been sold on the streets for £177,000 once it had been broken down.

All three were convicted by a jury following a trial.

They were found guilty of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, possession of class A drugs with intent to supply and money laundering.

Judge Eugene Egan said: “You played for high stakes with your eyes wide open and you lost.

Mujtaba Hussain

“Huge profits were made in your slick operation and you all played crucial roles.”

He told Mureed Hussain and Mujtaba Hussain: “You both played leading roles and you had connections in the drug world in Newport.”

Turning to Ali Hussain, Judge Egan said to him that he had played a lesser role than his older siblings but added: “You enthusiastically helped your brothers and took over from them when they were arrested and taken into custody.”

Mureed Hussain is a third strike class A drug dealer and was jailed for 13 years.

Ali Hussain

Mujtaba Hussain, who was sent to prison for supplying heroin in 2018, was locked up for 12 years.

Ali Hussain was sent to a young offender institution for seven years and six months.

Before the brothers were sentenced their barristers presented mitigating circumstances to the court.

Nigel Fryer for Mureed Hussain said: “There was no evidence of an extravagant lifestyle.”

Harry Baker representing Mujtaba Hussain told the court: “He’s almost blind and it’s hard for him to interact with people in prison.”

Holly Sims for Ali Hussain said he had no relevant previous convictions and asked for her client’s young age to be taken into account.

The defendants are due to face a proceeds of crime hearing next year.