West Midlands drug dealers who got more than 80,000 phone calls from users in under 12 months finally locked up
Two dealers who took more than 80,000 phone calls from Birmingham users ordering illicit drugs have been locked up for two years.
The main operator Ishaaq Ayaz, aged 26, and Numaan Mahmood, aged 20, both from Birmingham, operated the 'Frankie' supply line which received more than 81,000 calls, made 28,000 calls, and sent and received 25,000 text messages between August 2023 and October 2024. The Frankie drug line had started in August 2023 and was operating in the city centre, Balsall Heath, Moseley and Selly Oak daily from 9am to 9pm.
Phones would send out messages to large number of people announcing they were open for business and could supply good quality drugs.
West Midlands Police said detectives set up an investigation which established that Ayaz bought a top-up for the phone in August 2024 and that he was the main figure in the running of the line. Using extensive mobile phone analysis officers were able to show that Ayaz’s personal phone was often near the phone used to run Frankie.
One call handler would remain with the phone and take orders before contacting a ‘runner’ who would deliver the drugs.
During a swoop at a city centre property linked to Ayaz in October 2024 another man, Numaan Mahmood, turned up and was duly arrested after he was found to have on his person wraps of drugs, a handset used to run the Frankie line and hundreds of pounds in cash.
Ayaz was not at the flat when the officers arrived, however, their searches uncovered around £7,000 in cash, class A drugs and scales used to weigh portions.
In all 495 wraps and 222g of cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine were seized along with £9,256 in cash in the probe involving the defendants, resulting in significant disruption to the drugs supply in the city.
Both men went on to plead guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin and were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on March 11.
Ayaz, aged 26, of Brighton Road, Balsall Heath, was jailed for seven years and four months, while Mahmood, aged 20, of Kingswood Road, Moseley, was jailed for two years and three months.
Detective Inspector Mark Robinson, of West Midlands Police's County Lines Taskforce, said: “This was a significant drugs operation, operating across a large part of Birmingham and trading in class A drugs, and the misery that they bring to users and communities. We continue to work around the clock to disrupt drugs networks across the West Midlands.”
The force has carried out a large number of arrests and shut down a number of similar drugs lines in recent weeks.
