County lines kingpin shipped heroin and cocaine from Manchester and offered 'home delivery service' from his prison cell

The final members of a drugs line that was run by the gang's kingpin in his prison cell, 'flooding' the streets with heroin and crack-cocaine, have been jailed.

The major county line operation saw drugs supplied to Barrow from Manchester, with 'graft' numbers used to advertise the ability of drugs and offering a home delivery service to users, court heard.

Cumbria Police set up 'Operation Remote' in September 2023 to dismantle the organised crime group, with the ‘Shakka’ line predominantly ran from a prison cell in South Yorkshire before 'flooding' the streets of Barrow with heroin and crack-cocaine.

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The head of the county line was Al-Shakil Sadiq, who controlled the line from his prison cell in HMP Lindholme using a number of illicit mobile phones to coordinate the activities of the OCG members and arrange for the transportation of Class A drugs from Manchester to Barrow to be sold.

In late 2022 and early 2023, the ‘Shakka’ OCG rotated a safe containing large amounts of drugs, cash and phones among lower levels of the OCG, Cumbria Police said. The members were regularly stocked with drugs and were trusted to manage the safe and its contents.

From May 2023, the group switched to a traditional county lines set up where a main ‘graft’ phone was controlled and operated by an out-of-county facilitator based in Oldham.

As part of the police operation, an address on Wordsworth Street, Barrow, was raided on November 1 last year. Officers arrested and charged four members of the gang and cocaine was seized.

Following this, further searches were carried out in Oldham, Rochdale and Barrow in mid-November 2023. This led to ten people being arrested and charged as part of the conspiracy and two charged it with ancillary drug supply and arson with intent to endanger life offences.

On Tuesday (September 24), the final members of the gang were sentenced at Preston Crown Court. The group's leader, Al-Shakil Sadiq, was jailed on September 20 to ten and a half years behind bars. He plead guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

Sarah Kolsuma Sadiq, 30, of Belfield Road, Rochdale, was a senior member of the OCG, using personal mobile numbers and Snapchat to ensure the continuity of the drugs supply operation when her brother, Al-Shakil was unable to coordinate matters himself due to prison disruption.

She was responsible for laundering her brother’s money. Sarah Sadiq was sentenced to six years four months in prison for her role in the conspiracy, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

Shamim Hussain, 28, of Sherwood Street, Oldham, controlled the second OCG ‘graft’ number and was responsible for sending out bulk drug advertisement messages to users in the Barrow area. He travelled to Barrow on nine occasions to restock the OCG and collect monies.

Hussain pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Gregory Bell, 47 of Marsdale Grove and Brandon McGuire, 25, of Marsh Street, Barrow were responsible for storing and preparing drug restocks of Class A drugs for onward supply in Barrow. Bell and McGuire also played a part in controlling the first OCG ‘graft’ number. Bell was jailed for four and a half years and McGuire was jailed for four years and one month. Both plead guilty conspiracy to supply heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

Jackson Young, 20, of Long Croft, Barrow was responsible for the cocaine operation in Barrow under Al-Shakil Sadiq. He would recruit and direct sub-dealers. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, possession with intent to supply ketamine and the conspiracy to supply cocaine and was sentenced to three years behind bars.

Kirsty Davidson, 36 and John Thompson 44, both of Wordsworth Street, Barrow were street dealers who used intimidation tactics against other OCG members on behalf of Al-Shakil Sadiq.

In July 2024, Davidson was jailed for 56 months, and Thompson was jailed for 65 months. They individually pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

James Thompson, 44, of Peter Street Whitehaven was arrested and charged with drug supply and arson after travelling to Barrow in October 2023 where he was seen on CCTV pouring petrol on an address.

He was also seen engaging in drug deals from the home of Kirsty Davidson. He was jailed for 28 months for his role in the conspiracy, pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine. He also pleaded guilty to an offence of arson with intent to danger life. In total, he received a five and a half year prison sentence.

PC Ryan Smith of the Community Serious Organised Crime Unit at Cumbria Police, said: “We have disrupted a major county lines OCG and now have nine people behind bars for their role in a county lines drugs conspiracy.

“I am pleased with the sentences handed out, resulting in the group being jailed for 50 years in total and more importantly, taking nine dangerous people and illegal substances off the street.

“This was a significant operation which spanned many months and involved officers from Barrow Police and the Community Serious Organised Crime Unit, the North West Regional Crime Team and Greater Manchester Police, working in close partnership to disrupt and dismantle the OCG.

“Today’s substantial custodial sentences should serve as a warning to those thinking about establishing similar operations in our communities - we will catch you. We are not complacent, and we will continue to proactively target those who are involved in the supply of drugs within our county.

“The support of our communities in reporting drug dealing is a key tool in tackling organised criminality and we encourage members of the public to get in touch with any information that might help us."

Anyone with information about drugs offences can call police on 101 or report online at cumbria.police.uk.
Alternatively, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers, completely anonymously, on 0800 555 111.