Jailed: Violent gang of dealers who left rival disabled ran cocaine and heroin phone line worth at least £1m

Some of the members carried out a machete attack on a rival who was left seriously hurt, while others stripped naked and beat up a drug user for failing to pay for drugs supplied to him.

Members of the lucrative ‘P Line’ were sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday (September 16) after a judge heard it attracted customers across the Black Country with regular drop-offs made in Sandwell, Walsall and in Birmingham. The line was running between November 11, 2022 and January 2, 2025.

During the two-day sentencing the court heard how cocaine, heroin and cannabis was sold to order in a sophisticated, organised operation that ran for 20 hours per day in three ‘shifts’, using bulk texts and calls on lines with the digits ending 6452 and 8908, and three cars manned by a driver and passenger seller.

Announcing his decision on Wednesday, Judge John Butterfield KC said almost all of the defendants played a “significant role” in the operation and were arrested after West Midlands Police mounted an undercover operation with detectives using aliases ‘Maz’ and ‘Freddy’ making test purchases.

“The conspiracy was carried out with intensity and in a highly structured manner,” he told the court.

The court heard that leading player Zuhayb Abdi, aged 30, who initially organised the shifts and meted out discipline, was arrested and put in custody following the machete attack on a rival called Inderjit Singh Dulay in Darlaston in November 2023. But the officers soon discovered that the line continued to operate with others taking over and assigned significant roles.

Abdi’s phone records showed that co-defendant and former Mercian Regiment soldier Rees MacDonald handed over “takings” of £2,680 and £4,310 to him and that Abdi told him off for missing a shift and for using a P Line car for his personal activities.

For admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin Abdi, of Linwood Road, Handsworth, was jailed for seven years to run consecutively with the 14-year extended to 18-year term he is already serving for wounding Mr Dulay, who was left permanently disabled as a result of the incident at the junction of Richard Street and The Flatts near Darlaston swimming baths.

For admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin Waqas Hussain, aged 27, of Wells Avenue, Darlaston, was jailed for five years to run consecutively with the 13-year extended to 17-year term he is already serving for the Dulay attack.

For admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, and for kidnap relating to a man being attacked an left naked in the street over a drug debt, ex-soldier MacDonald, aged 31, of Shepherds Fold, Brewood, was jailed for a total of six years to run consecutively to the 14-year term (plus four years on licence) he is already serving for the attack on Mr Dulay.

For admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and for supplying cannabis Bradley Whatmore, aged 25, of Stonehouse Crescent, Friar Park, Wednesbury; and Hakeem Ali, aged 24, of Jasmine Way, Darlaston, were both jailed for 10 years and six months.

For admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin Quarnay Lee-Taylor, aged 25, of Lilac Grove, Friar Park, Wednesbury, was jailed for 12 years. He has links to West Bromwich.

For admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin Asa McIntosh, aged 21, of Foley Street, Wednesbury, was jailed for nine years and nine months.

For admitting kidnapping Steven Bunce, aged 22, of Ingot Close, Beechdale, Walsall, was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for two years, with conditions to attend 35 activity days with probation, and carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay the victims’ surcharge.

MacDonald and Bunce were also made subject to an indefinite restraining order preventing them from contacting the kidnap victim in any way.

The P Line netted sums of at least £1 million according to the lowest estimate.

Steven Hamblett, advocating for Whatmore, said: “He got into this position due to his cannabis habit. That swiftly developed into cocaine use. He started to fall behind in his payments and accrued debts.

“He was 21 at the time and is now aged 25. He has no previous convictions. He has been in custody since March 2, 2025.”