They were the county lines drug dealers who laughed at the law, claiming ‘business will never go down’ – before they were caught. West Mercia Police has given an insight into how it uncovered, disrupted, then caught, disbanded and convicted H and Kam line gangsters trafficking drugs from Birmingham into south Worcestershire.
The 16-strong gang was led by Ameeth Mudhar, of the H line, and Syed Alom, of the Kam line. Mudhar, from Malvern, was heard on video boasting: “The lines will always come on, let me tell you that”.
Footage showed how officers first uncovered a drug line after a tip-off that cocaine was being supplied into south Worcestershire from the West Midlands early in 2020. The information suggested bulk ‘broadcast’ messages were being sent to a large customer base, offering cocaine for sale.
READ MORE: County lines gang who flooded target areas with cocaine jailed for 60 years
West Mercia Police’s serious and organised crime unit identified that the gang was led by two individuals, supported by several foot soldiers and street dealers. The force said: “To advance the investigation, we focused on targeting the group’s street dealers, as the information obtained from their mobile phones would be crucial. With substantial evidence in hand, we attempted to stop a car and arrest Syed Alom and his “lieutenant,” Shakir Ali.”
Ameeth Mudhar was the leader of the H county line
Video showed Ali refused to stop for police and reversed into a force car before speeding away. Shortly after, Alom threw several wraps of cocaine from the car’s window before abandoning the vehicle ‘recklessly’ in a pub car park, narrowly missing a small child.
Syed Alom ran the Kam county line
In December 2020, police arrested Alom at his address in Highfield Road, Rowley Regis. He was later charged and remanded in custody. His accomplice, Mudgar, realised the net was closing in and that his own arrest was imminent.
He fled to Dubai shortly after, mocking Alom over the phone and claiming he was “ten steps ahead.” In April 2021, Mudhar returned to the UK, believing he had escaped justice. But, shortly after his return, police arrested an associate and seized £15,000-worth of cocaine.
In April 2022, six gang members were arrested. In total, 16 defendants were convicted for their involvement in the Kam line and H drug line, resulting in combined sentences of 96 years in prison.
Kam line
- Syed Alom, 35, of Highfield Road, Rowley Regis was sentenced to 15 years, reduced to ten years for his early guilty plea to conspiracy to supply class A drugs;
- Shakir Ali, 35, of Sycamore Road, Wednesbury was jailed for 11-and-a-half years, reduced to ten years having pled guilty on the first day of trial to conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He was also issued a disqualification from driving;
- Mohammed Amilrul Islam, 30, of Blythswood Road, Birmingham was jailed for nine-and-a-half years, reduced to eight-and-a-half years having pled guilty on the first day of trial to conspiracy to supply class A drugs;
- Andre Passaro, 38, of Winchcombe Drive, Worcester was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment, reduced to two years for his early guilty plea and suspended for 18 months with 175 hours of unpaid work;
- Syed Didar Ahmed, 37, of Offmore Road, Kidderminster was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ years imprisonment, reduced to one year eight months for his early guilty plea and suspended for 18 months with 150 hours of unpaid work and
- Duncan Lawson, 44, of Arosa Drive, Malvern was sentenced to two years three months’ imprisonment, reduced to one year, 11 months for his guilty plea at the start of the trial and suspended for 18 months with 200 hours of unpaid work.
Read more: Kam Line drug dealers jailed over ‘lucrative’ cocaine County Lines operation
H line
A group of ten men and women, whose drug dealing blighted the communities of Worcester and Malvern, were sentenced to more than 60 years at Worcester Crown Court
All guilty of conspiracy to supply a class A drug, namely cocaine:
- Ameeth Mudhar, 41, from Malvern – 14 years and six months;
- Genti Aliaj, 34, from Quinton, Birmingham – eight years;
- Ricardo White, 33, from Elmdon, Solihull – seven years;
- Sark Kennedy, 28, from Malvern – three years (plus an additional 33 months already served for other offences);
- Neringa Rupeikate, 31, from West Bromwich – six yearsl
- Brandon Scott, 26, from Worcester – six years (plus three years consecutive for unrelated offences);
- Mark Tyrell, 27, from Malvern – eight years;
- Jack Beddoes, 30, from Worcester – three years four months;
- Katy Holland, 40, from Malvern – four years and
- Robert Fleetwood, 35, from Worcester – four years (plus an extra three months for contempt of court after a tirade of abuse directed at officers, staff, the court and the Judge on sentencing.).
West Mercia Police said: “This case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of our officers to disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs that distribute drugs on our streets.”
Anyone with any information they think may be connected to drug dealing or any other type of crime, is urged to contact the force online. Or to give information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.