Drugs Gang Busted: Two Men Locked Up Over £1 Million Class A Crackdown
Two crooks linked to a ruthless drug and money laundering ring have been jailed after a Met Police sting ended their illegal empire.
Massive Drug Operation Dismantled
The Met’s Specialist Operations Crime Disruption Unit cracked down on a four-man gang involved in producing and supplying Class A and B drugs, washing dirty cash, and dealing in fake currency.
Jailed Men and Their Loot
- Paul El-Shahar, 42, homeless, hit with nine years for conspiracy to supply and produce Class A drugs, money laundering, and possession of counterfeit cash.
- Mark Richard Ryan, 35, from Kensington, bagged eleven and a half years for the same crimes.
The gang’s activities first raised alarms during an unrelated probe, leading officers to a storage unit in Slough in April 2019. A April 4 raid uncovered:
- £82,940 in counterfeit cash
- Class A and B drugs worth around £1 million
- Drug-making machinery
- £15,000 in real cash
- Live ammunition
Other Gang Members Caught and Sentenced
Arrested alongside El-Shahar and Ryan was Andrew Nugent, 32, and later Adam John Gale, 44. Gale fled the UK but was nabbed in Spain and extradited back.
- Nugent got nearly 16 years for drugs production, supply, laundering, possession of ammunition, and fake cash.
- Gale was handed 14 years after pleading guilty to similar charges.
“This investigation has taken a significant drug gang off the streets and shown our commitment to tackling organised crime,” said a Met spokesperson.
