Drug gang that exploited children and plagued Harrogate with heroin and cocaine
Four members of a Bradford-based county lines drug dealing gang have been jailed for over 26 years between them after their enterprise was dismantled by North Yorkshire Police.
The “Teddy Line” was one of three county lines that were targeted through Operation Jackal, a proactive county lines intelligence-led investigation launched in 2019 by the force’s Organised Crime Unit into the supply of heroin and cocaine from Bradford into the Harrogate area.
A joint operation in February 2020 involving the Regional Organised Crime Unit, West Yorkshire Police, the National Crime Agency and the National County Lines Coordination Centre, saw the arrest of a number of suspects from both towns. The heads of the drug operations being in Bradford and those lower down the chain coming from Harrogate.
The Teddy Line was run by an organised crime group that infiltrated Harrogate via the use of local drug dealers, began distributing cocaine and heroin for the consumption of local drug users, the majority of whom were vulnerable by way of socioeconomic background and mental health conditions.
The gang exploited children and used them to courier the drugs and profits between Bradford and Harrogate. Hiding behind the children and putting them in danger.
As part of the operation, police arrested two teenagers both aged 16 at the time, but it soon became apparent that they were being exploited and measures were put in place to safeguard them.
Detective Sergeant Sam Harding of North Yorkshire Police’s Organised Crime Unit, and now of the Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “Vulnerable children were used to courier the drugs and do the gangs’ dirty work.
“They showed no regard whatsoever for the children in a bid to hide their own tracks and evade detection. The children were shamefully used as a commodity to help the gang make money, and to face the dangers on the streets so that they didn’t have to.”
Sanchez Heffernan, 33 of Rufus Street, Bradford, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He was jailed for nine years.
Waqas Ali, 34 of Rufus Street, Bradford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drug and two counts of human trafficking and exploitation, he was jailed for eight years and eight months for drug offences and four years for human trafficking, to run concurrent.
Mohammed Owais Ali, 26, of Basil Street, Bradford, was found guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, he was jailed for seven years.
Ben Parcell, 42, of Bramham Drive, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He was jailed for two years and three months.
Nicola Jayne Fletcher 47, of Harrogate pleaded guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. She was given an 18-month sentence suspended for two years.
D/Sgt Harding added: “Drug dealing and the violence and exploitation that accompanies county lines remains a foremost priority for North Yorkshire Police and the wider region. We are committed to working together to disrupt the offenders and take those responsible off the streets.
“We urge anyone with information to continue to report information about drug dealing in their area. It’s vital in helping us piece together the bigger picture.
“No matter how insignificant you think the information is, please call us. And if you don’t want to speak to us, you can pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers.”
County lines is the term given to a form of organised crime in which drug dealers, usually from urban areas, such as West Yorkshire or Manchester, target smaller towns and cities. It takes its name from the mobile phone lines used by dealers to advertise drugs for sale. Violence and intimidation is prevalent within county lines. It is a key, operational priority for North Yorkshire Police.
A major concern for North Yorkshire Police is a practice known as cuckooing, which is where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it to store and sell drugs. They often use violence and intimidation to achieve this.
Members of the public provide invaluable information that helps shape our operational activity and we urge residents to look out for the signs of cuckooing in their neighbourhood and report any concerns they have.
Signs of “cuckooing” to look out for include:
Increased callers at a property • Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time • Different accents at a property • Increased antisocial behaviour at a property • Not seeing the resident for long periods of time • Unfamiliar vehicles at the property • Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods • Communal doors propped open
Signs that a young person you know might be exploited by drug dealers include:
Persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out-of-area; • Unexplained money, clothes, or mobile phones • Excessive receipt of texts / phone calls • Relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups • Leaving home / care without explanation • Suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries • Carrying weapons • Significant decline in school results / performance • Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks • Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being Call the police on 101 or visit our website for partner agencies who can offer help and support young people.
To report drug dealing, call North Yorkshire Police on 101. If you prefer not to speak to the police and wish to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If you or another person is in immediate danger, always call 999.