Black Country men jailed for their roles in huge drug dealing line will repay more than £500k
A group who earned millions of pounds from supplying hard drugs to West Midlands addicts during lockdown told give up their proceeds of crime.
Three men who played leading roles in significant drug dealing enterprise which raked in millions of pounds have been ordered to repay more than £500,000 in ill-gotten gains.
Group leader Kudakwashe Mutanga and associates Arun Sahota and Amon Mambinge were all jailed in June 2024 when they were rumbled for their roles in large-scale drug trafficking across the Black Country and beyond.
But following a Proceeds of Crime hearing Judge Peter Barrie ordered them to cough up a total of £512,722 between them.
The hearing held at Stafford Crown Court on Friday heard that haulage company director Mutanga, aged 50, of Broad Gauge Way, Wolverhampton, had benefited to the tune of £3.78m from his criminal activities. He was ordered to pay back £320,672.10 from his realisable assets.
He was given three months to pay or be jailed for three years and six months in default, in addition to the 18-year prison term he is currently serving for the drug offences.
Sahota, aged 41, of Beechwood Avenue, in Wednesfield, who was found to have benefited to the tune of £681,555.99 from his involvement in the operation and the supply of class A drugs. was ordered to pay back £190,850.80. A forfeiture and destruction order was also made for the drugs and paraphernalia seized and he must pay victims’ surcharge £190.
He was also given three months to pay or serve 18 months in custody in default.
Mambinge, aged 41, of Tennyson Road, Short Heath, in Willenhall, who helped to the distribute the illicit drugs and the movement of large sums of cash on behalf of Mutanga in 2020 and 2021 and also thought to have benefited by £3.78m, was ordered to pay back £1,200. He was given 28 days to pay or serve seven days in custody in default.
He must also pay victims’ surcharge £190.
Mutanga, was is linked to Edwards Logistics PTD Ltd, was found to have orchestrated the supply of over 81kg of cocaine across the West Midlands region which involved over £3m in cash exchanges. Mutanga was jailed for 18 years and Mambinge for 16 years and two months. Sahota, who is no longer in custody, was jailed for six years.
All three were arrested in February 2022 in simultaneous swoops by offices armed with warrants at addresses in Tumbler Grove, in Heath Town, and Purbrook Road off Hickman Avenue near East Park. They were subsequently jailed for conspiracy to supply cocaine after admitting the offence.