East London Drug Lords Jailed in County Lines Crackdown
Nathan Padman, 21, and Irfan Tarik, 43, from Ilford, East London, have been exposed as the masterminds behind the notorious ‘Ashton’ crack cocaine and heroin ring. Their twisted operation used trafficked kids and vulnerable drug users to push deadly Class A drugs across Wiltshire.
Undercover Sting Unravels Ruthless Network
Wiltshire Police’s Operation Fortitude launched a nine-month probe from January to September 2020. The team uncovered the Ilford-based crew exploiting juveniles and multiple addicts to do their dirty work. In January 2020 alone, the gang sold Class A drugs to an undercover cop five times, leading to the first arrests.
Among those caught was Shohidur Rahman, 45, from swindon/" title="Swindon" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Swindon, who played a key supporting role.
Guilty Pleas Result in Heavy Sentences
The investigation gathered irrefutable evidence linking Padman, Tarik, and Rahman to the Ashton network. Earlier this year, all three were charged with supplying Class A drugs. They pleaded guilty and faced justice at Swindon Crown Court on December 15.
Padman got 44 months behind bars. Tarik received 32 months, while Rahman was jailed for 25 months.
Police Warn: No Hiding Place for County Lines Dealers
“Padman and Tarik were causing untold harm by exploiting vulnerable juveniles and existing drug users for their own gain, perpetuating the misery that drugs cause in societies,” said T/DS Gareth Snoad of Operation Fortitude. “I’m delighted we were able to secure convictions and that the three defendants will be spending the next few years behind bars. This was a county lines operation and the end result shows that it doesn’t matter where you base yourself, if you are supplying drugs in Wiltshire then we will track you down.”
