Dealer jailed after '˜largest drug conspiracy the county has ever seen'

Amin Ali, from Bletchley, was told he dealt in “pure misery” by supplying a gang who flooded the streets with millions of pounds worth of cocaine.

The 31-year-old was the last of the gang to be brought to justice, after seven of his co-conspirators were jailed two years ago for their part in the massive dealing operation.

Jurors were told that Ali was part of the gang headed up by Michael Mullen, who ran a cocaine wholesale network in Northampton and Milton Keynes, Bucks.

He was sold kilogramme blocks of high purity cocaine and Mullen’s team cut, packaged and sold the drugs on the streets.

Undercover police officers gathered intelligence on the gang for six weeks before swooping to make a series of raids and finding evidence of the drug dealing ring.

Much of the cocaine was supplied to Mullen by Wayne Shirley, with both men being jailed for 10 years and 10 and a half years respectively in 2014.

They were yesterday (Sunday) joined behind bars by Ali after he was also convicted of conspiring to supply cocaine.

The five women and seven men jurors who delivered the verdict at Aylesbury Crown Court looked on as Judge Francis Sheridan launched a blistering attack on the defendant as he jailed him for 10 years.

Ali said he made a living by running a car hire company and doing some plumbing.

He stood dressed in the dock throughout the trial in expensive designer clothes, which the judge said had been paid for through his involvement in the drugs gang.

Judge Sheridan said: “For somebody who earns a living by a little bit of plumbing and a little bit of car hire, they can look at your coat and see it’s completely inconsistent with somebody who earns their living like that. I’m not blind.

“You are a devious and troublesome individual. You are choosing to make your living – and a very fine living – from dealing drugs.

“Drugs are a filthy, filthy business and everybody knows that. You were one of the suppliers. Your role is a significant role.”

The judge said that one kilo of cocaine – which Ali was convicted of supplying – can be worth up to £50,000.

He added however: “Once they are bulked up to produce two to two-and-a-half kilos, the profits are massive. Massive profits dealing with pure misery, and I mean that – pure misery for the addicts.

“You’ve been convicted by the jury. You are therefore entitled to no credit whatsoever.

“You can expect no mercy and you are not going to get any. The sentence imposed is one of 10 years’ imprisonment.”

Judge Sheridan, who had sentenced Mullen, Shirley and five other conspirators at Aylesbury in January 2014, said: “This is one of the largest, if not the largest, drug conspiracies the county has ever seen.

“This was a massive operation by the police and they deserve to be commended for it. This case has been supremely well led and brilliantly prepared.

“They took out some major players – not just in Buckinghamshire, but in the country. It’s a clean sweep through good, outstanding police work.”

He directed the officers involved in preparing the case should be awarded a court commendation and two analysts – who, he said, put a year’s worth of work into securing the conviction – will be given judge’s commendations.

Ali is due back in court on April 8 when a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing to determine how much of his ill-gotten gains he should pay back, will take place.