Nottingham drugs gang jailed for dealing to young people

Shakeel (left) and Jamil Amin both received lengthy prison sentences

A drugs gang that targeted young people in Nottingham has been jailed.

Nottinghamshire Police said brothers Jamil and Shakeel Amin "spearheaded" the operation, which had been running since 2018.

An investigation found the group had been selling Class A and B drugs to revellers in the city.

Saad Essa, Ben Jones and Zain Mushtaq were also sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, with four others to be sentenced at a later date.

Officers said the group was found to have "long lists of clients" who they were selling drugs - including cocaine, MDMA and ketamine - to.

Charges and sentences

• Jamil Amin, 31, of Aspley Park Drive in Beechdale, was sentenced to 17 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs

• Shakeel Amin, 29, of Grassington Road in Beechdale, was sentenced to 12 years and nine months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs

• Saad Essa, 24, of Bannister Close, London, was sentenced to nine years after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs

• Ben Jones, 26, of Field Lane in Chilwell, was sentenced to seven years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs

• Zain Mushtaq, 22, of Leslie Road in Nottingham, was sentenced to seven years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs

Police said the seizure of Mushtaq's mobile phone uncovered the operation, and in May 2019 officers began covertly monitoring the movements of Shakeel Amin.

Searches carried out at addresses in Beechdale, The Meadows, Radford and West Bridgford uncovered significant quantities of drugs.

Shakeel Amin and Mushtaq were also seen on a video bragging about their earnings, saying they could afford to throw five pound notes "in the bin".

Saad Essa, Ben Jones and Zain Mushtaq (left to right) blatantly advertised and encourage young people to buy drugs, police said

Det Con Steven Fenyn, from Nottinghamshire Police, said the group targeted "areas where they knew they could market to a lot of young people and in particular students", adding officers had to "remain patient and strike at the right moment to ensure we had the evidence we needed".

"Being in the demographic they were targeting, they thought they could use their status and their influence in that environment to blatantly advertise, encourage young people to buy and continue freely with their criminality," he said.

"This investigation was lengthy and complex, but ultimately worthwhile."