London, Jun 24 (PTI) An Indian-origin man and his nephew who led a gang found guilty of supplying more than 100 kg of Class A banned drugs across the West Midlands region of England have been sentenced to a total of 32 years imprisonment by a UK court.
Kamaljit Singh Chahal, 52, and Bhipon Chahal, 25, were given 14 years at Leicester Crown Court on Thursday, when eight other gang members were also sentenced for operating a West Bromwich Organised Crime Group (OCG) supplying mainly cocaine and heroin during 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic, with records showing they made over GBP 1.5 million during that period.
A third Indian-origin man, Sandeep Johal, 32, was ordered to serve 11 years for his role with the gang, with the total sentence for all 10 men adding up to over 100 years. One of the gangsters even used a van with a National Health Service (NHS) emblem with a “Thank You NHS” sign, common during the pandemic, to transport the drugs to avoid detection.
“This was a significant Class A drugs operation which was being operated during the COVID pandemic. This is part of our ongoing work to destroy drug networks across the West Midlands, and this will carry on as part of Operation Target,” said Chief Inspector Peter Cooke from the West Midlands Police Regional Organised Crime Unit.
“We’re focused on those thought to be involved in the highest levels of organised crime across our region. These men will now be spending nearly 100 years behind bars in total. It sends out a clear warning to others intent on supplying Class A drugs – we simply won’t tolerate it,” he said.
All 10 men appeared at the court after they pleaded guilty to drug offences, including conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
West Midlands detectives said they were able to stop the gang in their tracks following a covert investigation into the group under Operation Igneous after Encrochat messages from the Chahal crime group were seized between March 26 and June 5, 2020.
Between these dates, the encrypted devices were used by the Chahal crime group to openly discuss the management and delivery of multi-kilogram quantities of Class A drugs across the UK, the court was told.
The gang was led by Kamaljit Chahal and his nephew Bhipon Chahal, and they used a network of couriers and facilitators, communicating using encrypted devices.
These devices were used to distribute cocaine on a commercial scale by the group, who were eventually brought down by police following a complex investigation, detectives said.
Investigators also identified that Kamaljit Chahal and another gang member applied for and were given government-backed COVID loans, which they reinvested into the drugs trade.
The West Midlands Police said it is running Operation Target to take a defiant stand against a range of serious offences – from drug dealing and burglary to cybercrime and fraud. Officers are using local intelligence, seizing goods, carrying out warrants and targeting suspects.