Two men involved in the supply of Class A drugs have been jailed for more than six years.
Armstrong Ikoro was described in court as a “trusted lieutenant” for a drugs gang after pleading guilty to 10 separate drug offences, including possession with intent to supply heroin, cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy and cannabis.
Bedfordshire Police executed a warrant at Ikoro’s address in Carisbrooke Road, Luton in April 2020, recovering a large amount of Class A and Class B drugs.
Thousands of pounds in cash was seized along with mobile phones which contained messages relating to the supply of drugs.
Officers also recovered the key for a vehicle outside which was found to have a false number plate. The correct number plate, which had Ikoro’s fingerprints on it, was found in the boot of the car.
A month later, police were called by a teenage girl saying that her ex-partner, Ikoro, was intimidating her.
Police searched a flat in Stirling Drive, Luton and arrested Ikoro inside. They seized a large amount of cash, cannabis, a tub containing suspected Class A drugs and empty deal bags from inside a Gucci man bag.
Two books of tick lists and further paper tick lists along with mobile phones were also seized.
As well as the drug offences, Ikoro, 22, of Carisbrooke Road, Luton, also pleaded guilty to two counts of handling stolen goods.
On Monday, October 25, 2021, at Luton Crown Court, Ikoro was jailed for four years and two months.
In a separate case, Nikhil Lama, 23, of Tomlinson Avenue, Luton, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis.
Police investigating a firearms discharge in Luton in March 2020 located an unoccupied vehicle with what appeared to be bullet holes in the side of the car.
Officers from Bedfordshire Police’s Boson guns and gangs team searched the car and recovered heroin, crack cocaine and a knuckle duster.
Lama was the registered owner of the vehicle and his fingerprints were found on some of the recovered items.
Boson officers executed a warrant at Lama’s address where he was arrested. Police recovered cocaine, cannabis and items typically associated with drugs supply, such as deal bags and scales.
Lama was jailed for two years on Wednesday, October 27, at Luton Crown Court.
Detective Chief Inspector Aaron Kiff, Bedfordshire Police’s tactical lead for imported county lines, said: “There is absolutely nothing glamorous about dealing drugs. These two young men will both now be spending a significant amount of time in prison, while the impact of these offences will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
“They may find it harder to get a job or even go on holiday to foreign countries, all because they have made the frankly stupid decision to get involved in drug dealing.
“There is an element of violence and exploitation in both of these cases, which are also hallmarks of the organised crime groups involved in the drugs trade.
“These are all messages that I cannot stress to people enough, and I really hope young people heed these messages in particular.”
To report any information about drug dealing visit Bedfordshire.police.uk/report or call 101.
All of this information is fed into police intelligence systems and can hep officers build up a picture of organised crime, even if they do not act on the information straight away.
For more information about organised crime and the violence and exploitation that comes with it, visit bavex.co.uk
