"they were brazen in continuing with their criminal activity."
Five members of a drugs gang have been jailed for their involvement in a drug ring in South Yorkshire that was worth £100,000.
Their arrests came after an investigation was launched in June 2015.
The Fortify Team in Sheffield, which is dedicated to tackling organised crime, suspected that the group were dealing and moving Class A and B drugs across Sheffield.
Officers also suspected that they were laundering their profits. Several warrants were executed at four properties on February 2, 2016, after months of developing intelligence.
Officers seized over £90,000 in cash. They also found a CS gas canister, a quantity of cannabis, five 100g gold bars, 25 packages of crack cocaine and 24 packages of heroin.
Eight people were arrested and charged. The four properties were linked to Mohammed Anwaar, aged 31, of no fixed abode.
Officers believed Anwaar led the operation.
The others were: Luke Padley, aged 28, of no fixed abode, Arsalan Hussain, aged 30, of West View Lane, Sheffield, Gemma Doherty, aged 34, Nilopher Kauser, aged 29, Shazad Hassan, aged 22, Tabassum Mohammed, aged 27, and Zahide Parveen, aged 50, all of Holmhirst Way, Sheffield.
Leading the investigation was DCI Jamie Henderson, of South Yorkshire Police. He explained:
“With all eight suspects released under investigation following their arrests, we continued building our case and samples of the cash recovered were analysed by experts.
“Banknotes were found to contain traces of cocaine, heroin and cannabis. Through financial enquiries, we also discovered that significant cash deposits were being transferred abroad from some of those under investigation.
“Despite the fact that the group knew they were under investigation, they were brazen in continuing with their criminal activity.
“One evening in April 2017, officers attempted to stop a car in Sheffield city centre, before it drove away at speed, with the occupants throwing items from the vehicle.
“Padley was found to be the passenger of the car and Hassan the driver.
“After searching the car, an amount of cash was recovered and 15 bags of cannabis were found to have been thrown from the vehicle.”
On November 26, 2019, at Sheffield Crown Court, Mohammed, Hassan and Parveen were found guilty. Padley and Kauser pleaded guilty to the offences.
The five drugs gang members were jailed on January 3, 2020.
Tabassum Mohammed was jailed for two years after being convicted of concealing criminal property and converting criminal property.
Shazad Hassan was found guilty of concealing criminal property and possession with intent to supply cannabis. He was jailed for two years.
Zahide Parveen was jailed for two years following her conviction of concealing criminal property and converting criminal property.
Luke Padley was jailed for five years and two months in his absence after he failed to attend the hearing.
Nilopher Kauser was jailed for two years and eight months.
DCI Henderson added: “This has been a complex, lengthy and significant investigation which has ultimately resulted in the disruption of a criminal drugs network operating across Sheffield.
“We’ve removed quantities of Class A drugs from the city and now eight people are facing the consequences.”
“Officers from the Fortify Team and other specialist teams across Sheffield and the whole of South Yorkshire, are working incredibly hard to disrupt and dismantle the activities of organised crime groups, stop their supply of drugs and cash flow, identify those involved and bring them before the courts.”
Yorkshire Post reported that the remaining drugs gang members, including Anwaar, will be sentenced later in January 2020.
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