Two families of drug dealing brothers were sentenced on Thursday, July 1, 2021, for running a round-the-clock cannabis business in Luton.
When police broke up the 18-month operation last September, they discovered more than 40,000 incoming and outgoing calls and text messages relating to 1 gram, 2 gram and 3.5 gram deals.
Luton Crown Court heard that cannabis was for sale on a 24-hour-a day basis, with the defendants working in shift patterns.
The cannabis had been stored in a cupboard in a shed in Biscot Road. Umar Ali, 28, of Biscot Road, Luton was jailed for four and a half years after pleading guilty to supplying cannabis between March 2019 and September 2020.
He had been on bail for possessing a prohibited weapon and had received a suspended sentence at Luton crown court shortly before his arrest for a drug offence and possessing criminal property.
Abu Ali, 25, and Yusuf Ali, 21, both of Biscot Road, Luton, admitted conspiracy to supply cannabis and were jailed for three years and three years and three months respectively. Neither had previous convictions.
Anwaar Chaudhary, 22, of Norman Road, Luton, was jailed for three years. He was of previous good character.
His brother Anzaar Chaudhary, 19, of Norman Road, Luton also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis, but he had a lesser role under the instruction of others and had only been involved in the conspiracy since February last year.
Judge Rebecca Herbert said that as he had been in custody since last September she would pass a two year Community Order with conditions that he completes 120 hours’ unpaid work and 35 rehabilitation days.
Jailing them, the judge said: “This conspiracy to supply cannabis was well organised. The defendants organised themselves to meet the demand on a round-the-clock 24 hours basis.
“The shift system meant there was always someone on duty.”
She said a considerable amount of cannabis had been supplied with “buying and selling on a commercial scale.”
The judge said there were undoubtedly people higher up in the drug supply chain who have not been caught.
£20,000 seized by police in raids will be given to local charities helping homeless people, families and ex offenders.
