A group of men involved in supplying heroin and crack cocaine from their base in Bury have been sentenced to a combined total of 53 years in prison.

Six men from Bury and one man from Radcliffe were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Friday, September 6 and Wednesday, September 11 – with the group’s phone line sending out more than 38,000 text messages and receiving more than 23,000 calls between January and June 2023.

Hassan Hussain, aged 34, of South Bank Road, Bury, was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment; Asam Hussain, aged 30, also of South Bank Road, was sentenced to 10 years.

Hassan Hussain was the last to be sentenced, on Wednesday, September 11Hassan Hussain was the last to be sentenced, on Wednesday, September 11 (Image: GMP)

Nasir Ali, aged 31, of Whitburn Drive, Bury was sentenced to six years, while Ali Akbar Azam, aged 34, of Parkhills Road, Bury, was sentenced to nine.

Mohammed Shah Ahmed, aged 29, of Braemar Drive, Bury, was sentenced to five years and four months in prison, while Waqas Ullah, aged 34, of Bury Road in Radcliffe, was sentenced to four years and six months.

Police say the group’s activity consisted mainly of people going to a Toyota Yaris which remained parked stationary on a residential car park.

Mobile phone forensic analytics suggested the phone used in the drugs line was kept in the Yaris overnight.

Hassan Hussain was the lead role in the group, with Nasir Ali a high-ranking member of the group and a trusted member.

When the drug line was first switched on, a series of ‘flare messages’ were sent out advertising the sale of the drugs, letting customers know they are available for delivery.

This tactic is ordinarily used by drug dealers to advertise the sale of drugs, police say.

The seven men were charged in June 2023 in connection with a suspected county lines criminal network.

Detective Constable Prince, the officer in charge of the case, said: “Operation Tagula was an investigation into the ACE drugs line where members of an organised crime group supplied class A drugs around the Bury area of Greater Manchester.

“The sentences handed down today puts members of this crime group behind bars and sends a clear message to those who would blight the community of Bury with criminal activity that it will not be tolerated, and we are determined to continue to bring criminals to justice and tackle the harm that organised crime causes our communities.

“Programme Challenger is Greater Manchester’s response to tackling serious and organised crime.

“It tackles all manner of serious crime: county lines, exploitation of young children and vulnerable adults, modern slavery, immigration and economic crime and the use of firearms.

“Our Challenger teams across Greater Manchester are committed to tackling county lines and we will act upon any concerns or information the community give to us to tackle serious and organised crime for good.

“If you are concerned about criminal activity within your area, you can report this to us directly on 101 or by reporting information using our online report tool at www.gmp.police.uk.”