Five sentenced after police uncover drugs line into north Staffs

Four men and a woman have been sentenced after police uncovered a drugs line supplying heroin and cocaine into north Staffordshire and south Cheshire.

They were sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (17-20 Dec) for their part in the conspiracy, which was led by Stoke-on-Trent men Kamran and Daud Khan.

The court heard the police involvement began on 6 September 2017 when a Vauxhall Astra was stopped in Knutton Lane, Newcastle, and the driver Manraj Thandi was arrested for possessing class-A drugs.

Thandi had details on his phone to meet Paulina Kurstak at a hotel in Newcastle. Kurstak was arrested after a search of her address led to the discovery of further drugs.

Phones were seized and a drugs line was identified. The group running the line was using a rented flat in Dartmouth Street where Yassin Khan prepared the drugs for sale before Kurstak and Israr Tariq conveyed them to drug users across north Staffordshire.

On 25 January 2018 a search warrant was executed in Dartmouth Street where Kustak and Yassin Khan were arrested and £55,000 worth of drugs seized. The other conspirators were then arrested.

At an earlier hearing Kamran Khan, Daud Khan, Yassin Khan and Paulina Kurstak all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

On 20 November Thandi pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine between 20 August 2017 and 7 September 2018. Tariq admitted he had assisted others by conveying them across the area to supply heroin and cocaine.

Detective Constable Paul Hollinshead, of Staffordshire Police, said: “This was a well organised conspiracy moving significant quantities of heroin and cocaine across north Staffordshire and south Cheshire.”

“We hope these convictions send out the message we will not tolerate drug dealing in Staffordshire.”

Kamran Khan, aged 23, of Davison Street, Burslem, sentenced to further two years (already serving seven)

Daud Khan, aged 21, of Barrett Drive, Burslem, sentenced to three years

Yassin Khan, aged 21, of Emery Street, Cobridge, to be sentenced on January 13

Manraj Thandi, aged 22, of Lonsdale Road, Smethwick, sentenced to three years

Israr Tariq, aged 22, of Chaplin Road, Dresden, sentenced to 12 month community order and 80 hours' unpaid work

Paulina Kurstak, aged 22, of St Nicholas Avenue, Norton, sentenced to two years nine months