Cocaine gang jailed

Three drug dealers have been jailed after admitting their involvement in the supply of cocaine from a house where officers found £47,000 inside a rucksack in the living room.

Mohammed Aslam, 33, from Stoke-on-Trent, Declan Marshall, 34, from Burslem, and Damien Leach, 32, from Longton, were sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Tuesday 20 May after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of a class A drug (cocaine).

Aslam also pleaded guilty to acquiring/using/possessing criminal property.

Officers investigating the gang stopped a black Ford Fiesta just before junction 9 on the southbound carriageway of the M6 motorway at 1.10pm on Tuesday 25 June last year.

A search of the vehicle revealed around half-a-kilogram of cocaine inside two plastic takeaway tubs. Leach, a passenger in the vehicle, was arrested and taken into custody.

Just after 3pm the same day, officers forced entry to an address in Middleport. Aslam, who was inside the house, ran out of the front door but was stopped and arrested.

When they searched the property, officers found £47,000 cash in a rucksack, a further 1.5kg of cocaine and more clear plastic takeaway tubs.

Mohammed Aslam

Declan Marshall

Damien Leach

Later that day, at 8.20pm, Marshall was arrested at an address in Blythe Bridge. He was found with keys to the first property.

Aslam was jailed for six years, Marshall for four years and Leach for two-and-a-half years. Marshall was also banned from driving for 12 months after admitting driving whilst disqualified.

We’re continuing to proactively target serious and organised crime across Staffordshire, working with the Regional and Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), as part of Operation Target.