A man involved in a drug dealing operation across the West Midlands has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison. Amer Ishtiaq, 35, from Lye, Dudley, was found guilty of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday, 6 October.
Ishtiaq was apprehended as a result of a joint operation between the Dudley Serious Organised Crime Team and the West Midlands County Lines Taskforce. After months of investigation, intelligence led authorities to identify Ishtiaq as the mastermind behind a drug supply network operating in and around Dudley.
Police officers executed search warrants at Ishtiaq’s home in Lye and another address in Birmingham believed to be connected to his illegal activities. During the searches, evidence was found, including a knife, which confirmed suspicions of drug dealing. Additionally, valuable high-performance cars, suspected to be the result of Ishtiaq’s criminal lifestyle, were seized.
Following his arrest, Ishtiaq pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 8 September. He remained in custody until his sentencing in October.
Sergeant Rich Galbraith, part of the Serious Organised Crime team at Dudley Police, expressed the determination to halt Ishtiaq’s criminal activities, emphasising the negative impact drug dealing has on the community. He added that the police forces involved remain committed to combating drug dealers and removing drugs from the streets of West Midlands.
Sergeant Kay Thompson from the County Lines Investigation Team echoed these sentiments, highlighting the exploitation of vulnerable individuals by County Lines drug dealers and the violence and antisocial behavior that often accompany their operations. Thompson emphasised the success of the joint approach taken by the West Midlands County Lines Taskforce and the Serious Organised Crime team in dismantling Ishtiaq’s lucrative drug line in Dudley.
