Six sentenced after Organised Crime Gang targeted in police operation

Six people have been jailed for almost 56 years following a covert operation targeting an Organised Crime Gang (OCG) operating in Gwent.

The investigation, known as Operation Fairfax, took place between October 2023 and October 2024 and focused on the supply of cocaine and heroin, controlled class A drugs.

Covert investigations revealed that Zekkam Ali from Newport was responsible for a drug line that supplied customers from Gwent and the surrounding areas with at least 38 kilograms of heroin.

The heroin had a street value of £3.16 million and around 55 kilograms of crack cocaine with a street value of £5.5 million.

The 37-year-old Zekkam Ali was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty.

Surveillance of the crime boss revealed a “web of criminality”, according to Gwent Police, including the identities of those working for him.

Asjad Ali, 33, from Newport was one of Zekkam Ali’s middlemen. He was responsible for liaising with and supplying the customer-facing ‘street drug dealers’ with the drugs. He would then collect the cash they made.

He was captured meeting with a street dealer, Connor Beale, multiple times to carry out such exchanges.

On his arrest, he was found in possession of 44 wraps of heroin with a street value of more than £10,000, while further drugs and a hydraulic press were found at his house.

Asjad Ali was locked up for 10 years after pleading guilty.

Go between

Mohammed Boota from Newport was also a middleman in the operation, and like Asjad Ali acted as a go between for Zekkam Ali and the street dealers. He was known to store drugs at his home address.

Zekkam Ali was seen dropping off packages at Boota’s address after a quick turnaround trip to Birmingham – likely collecting wholesale quantities of drugs from a supplier.

Boota was also observed attending Connor Beale’s address on at least 12 occasions. He was arrested following a warrant at his home address.

The 37-year-old also pleaded guilty and received a sentence of 11 years and 3 months in prison.

Conspiracy 

Another member known to store and adulterate the product (mixing class A drugs with another substance in order to boost profits) was Anthony Caruana.

The 31-year-old from Newport is also thought to have taken over the running of daily deals while Zekkam Ali was out of the county.

Caruana was jailed for five years for his involvement in the conspiracy.

Azim Ahmed, 27, was entrusted with the running of the drug line for a short period of time alongside others, and was also responsible for collecting the cash made from drug sales.

Enquiries showed that Ahmed made 316 trips to Connor Beale’s home address to collect the daily takings from sales. During a search of Ahmed’s house more than £80,000 of cash was seized.

The judge sentenced Azim Ahmed to 8 years and 8 months behind bars.

Link

Linking many of the suspects in this operation is Connor Beale. The 29-year-old from Newport was employed as the customer facing drug dealer.

He was sighted interacting with Zekkam Ali, Mohammed Boota, Anthony Carunana, Azim Ahmed and Asjad Ali.

On one occasion when meeting with Asjad Ali, Beale was observed to stay at the meeting point and carried out five suspected drug deals within a 50-minute period.

Connor Beale was locked up for six years.

Sophisticated operation 

DI Ian Bartholomew from Gwent Police’s Organised Crime Unit said: “This investigation clearly demonstrates that this group was working in an organised and hierarchical manner.

“Through surveillance and other tactics, the team uncovered that despite dealing in mainly street-level quantities of drugs the organisation and sophistication of the operation meant this gang were making a considerable amount of money at the expense of the most vulnerable.

“Illicit drugs ruin lives. Due to the determination and dedication of our teams, seven people with no consideration for the harm they cause are now rightfully behind bars.

“Our officers work relentlessly to dismantle these groups and safeguard those they exploit for their own gain, and we urge anyone with information on drug dealing to contact us.”