News —
Met dismantles gang responsible for supply and sale of drugs in East London
An organised crime network that dominated the sale and supply of class A drugs in Bethnal Green has been convicted and sentenced to a combined 100 years, following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
A two-year investigation dismantled the ‘Specs’ drugs line, which flooded Bethnal Green with 14kg of class A drugs, mainly crack cocaine and heroin. The sheer number of calls the gang received from drug users – 250,000 in two years – shows the scale of the operation.
After a painstaking investigation by Met detectives, 16 people have been convicted for their part. This includes ring leaders Nefur Miah, Muhammed Ismail Ali, Rezwanual Choudhury and Muhammad Abbas.
PC Shah Haque, who led the investigation said:
“The streets of London will be safer with this gang behind bars. I hope the long sentences provide reassurance to the community in Bethnal Green and beyond that we will work relentlessly to pursue the groups who bring drugs, weapons and violence to our communities.
“The sheer scale of our investigation – two years of detailed analysis of phones as well as covert surveillance, shows the scale of the criminality and our commitment to getting these dangerous people off our streets.”
An investigation was launched after a marked increase in the number of reports from residents in Bethnal Green around drug dealing openly taking place on street corners and within children’s parks. At the same time there was a surge in local crime, leaving the community feeling unsafe.
The Specs line had established a strong dominating presence in the area as one of the largest drug lines in East London servicing thousands of drug addicts.
Officers focused on dismantling the whole group and launched Operation Knotweed, targeting the runners on the streets all the way to those at the top of the network in an effort to uproot up the gang once and for all.
Plain-clothed officers followed known gang members, who were seen brazenly selling class A drugs to users in Bethnal Green. Using this evidence Detectives were able to build out a wider picture of the gang and identify those higher up in the command structure orchestrating activities on the street.
Despite attempts by those involved to evade police monitoring by routinely switching their mobile phones off, officers conducted detailed and extensive analysis of phone data. Call records and location data were mapped for more than 50 mobile phones believed to be used by the group.
Through this analysis, officers were able to link multiple incidents and review historic reports, uncovering an extensive pattern of offending including linking them a stash address in Barking, which was searched by police in 2022.
During the search of the stash address, officers recovered significant quantities of class A drugs and cash, along with three firearms belonging to the group.
The final sentencing of the gang today builds on the Met’s work to dismantle organised crime groups. These gangs were disrupted 21,231 times last year, a 64 per cent increased compared to the previous year, resulting in more arrests, prosecutions and seizures of drugs and weapons.
Those convicted are:
A. Nefur Miah, 38 (06.04.1998) of Redmans Road, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to 17 years and seven months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
B. Muhammed Ismail Ali, 38 (02.10.1987) of Marlborough Road, Romford (02.10.1987). Sentenced to 12 years and six months for conspiracy to supply A drugs and conspiracy to possess a firearm.
C. Emran Hussain, 42 (24.10.1983) of Beccles Drive, Barking. Sentenced to 11 years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to possess a firearm.
D. Rezwanual Choudhury, 30 (30.03.1996) of Brick Lane, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to nine years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
E. Shanoor Ahmed, 40 (04.04.1986) of Russia Lane, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to eight years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
F. Delowar Ahmed, 40 (04.04.1986) of Russia Lane, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to six years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
G. Faieq Islam, 35 (20.11.1990) of Pulteney Close, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to five years and seven months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
H. Reece Duncombe, 39 (28.02.1987) sentenced to three years and nine months for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
I. Mominul Hoque, 40 (18.01.1986) of Falmouth Gardens, Ilford. Sentenced to two years and eight months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
J. Liton Miah, 37 (26.02.1988) from Rainhill Way, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to two years and four months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
K. Michael Issit, 43 (23.04.1983) from Old Ford Road, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
L. Shabab Baksh, 29 (04.09.1996) of Tiller Road, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, for being concerned with the supply of class A drugs.
M. Saeed Abdullahi Ahmed, 42 (05.11.1983) of Bethnal Green Road, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to two years suspended for two years, for being concerned with the supply of class A drugs.
N. Nizam Uddin, 42 (21.04.1984) of Huddleston Close, Tower Hamlets. Sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
O. Muhammed Abbas, 23 (21.07.2002) of no fixed address. Sentenced to eight years and six months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and firearms offences.
P. Simeon Oliver Stewart, 32 (15.01.1994) of Clevedon Close, Hackney. Sentenced to five years and five months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
