Black Country drugs ringleader jailed on return to UK
A key figure in a West Midlands drugs ring who failed to turn up at court for his trial after absconding abroad is finally behind bars – after he returned to the UK.
Jahral Jacobs was arrested at an airport last week when he got off a flight from Jamaica. He went on the run after being allowed to attend a family funeral on the Caribbean island, but failed to return afterwards. Jacobs was subsequently convicted after a trial and jailed for 13 years in his absence at Wolverhampton Crown Court in May. He was found guilty of conspiracy to import and supply cocaine.
Mr Darron Whitehead, prosecuting, told the court that Jacobs, 36, was jailed along with another man Dadlin Sutton, 24.
"Just under £17,000 passed in and out of Sutton's account. This was money from drug dealing. He moved his operation to Aberdeen and money was being taken in and out of bank accounts held by various people in the West Midlands area.
"From surveillance and analysis of Jacob's account it was noted that £16, 308 was going in and out of his account. It is clear that it was Sutton who was plainly hands on in drug dealing."
Jacobs, of Hilton Street, West Bromwich, admitted further offences of money laundering, and failure to surrender to bail when he was brought to Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Miss Sharon Bahia, defending, told the court that 'it is right to say that he fled the country'. He had a family death prior to Christmas. He missed his return flight. He was then booked to return on February 2, but by then had been convicted.
"He has come back now and it has been some eight months since the trial. He turned up at the airport. He was not arrested on the plane. When he got to customs he was asked some questions and taken in custody. He was arrested within the last seven days," Miss Bahia said.
Judge Michael Dudley jailed Jacobs for 12 months for money laundering to run concurrently with the 13-year term. He was also jailed for two months for the bail matter to run consecutively.
Judge Dudley said: "You have absconded from your trial on serious drugs matters and indeed supply. You were convicted in absence.
"I accept that there was a specific reason for you to go to Jamaica, namely, a family death, but the fact is that you did not return until in the last seven days. That is a pretty serious breach of bail."
Jacobs and Sutton were arrested in May 2013 along with others as a result of a joint investigation by the West Midlands Serious Organised Crimes Unit and the Gang Task Force.
