A Newcastle drug dealer who ran a sophisticated cocaine and cannabis supply network from a Range Rover has been jailed for three years and nine months after police caught him conducting deals in an affluent area of the city.
Syed Ahmed, 26, of Ladykirk Road, Newcastle, was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court after admitting eight offences including supplying cocaine, cannabis, MDMA and ketamine across Tyneside, Durham and as far as Tynemouth between August 2022 and April 2023.
The court heard that Ahmed operated as a “trusted mid-level operator” in a criminal gang, coordinating multiple drug deliveries across the North East region. In one remarkable burst of activity on 2 April 2023, messages on his phone revealed that 13 customers were supplied with cocaine, cannabis and MDMA in just a single hour, with 17 customers serviced over a four-hour period the following day.
Police surveillance officers in an unmarked car first spotted Ahmed conducting a suspicious transaction on Grosvenor Place in Jesmond at approximately 19:30 BST on 7 April 2023. They observed someone getting out of the black Range Rover he was driving whilst carrying a package, prompting them to follow the vehicle into Newcastle city centre.
Officers stopped and searched the Range Rover at Carliol Square car park, where they discovered a significant haul of illegal substances and criminal property. The search yielded £1,560 in cash, four mobile phones, Class A and B drugs worth approximately £1,800, and a Rolex watch which Ahmed later claimed was fake.
Prosecutor Neil Pallister told the court that examination of Ahmed’s phones revealed extensive evidence of his drug dealing operation dating back to August 2022. The messages showed he had been arranging deliveries of drugs across a wide geographical area, from Tyneside down to Durham, with customers as far afield as Tynemouth.
The court heard that Ahmed appeared to be “trusted” by those above him in the criminal network, operating at a mid-level position within the gang’s hierarchy. Text messages found on his devices showed discussions about prices, including £1,400 for an ounce of cocaine, and references to arranging drivers or runners for deliveries.
In one message, Ahmed boasted about supplying “10 out of 10 rocket fuel”, referring to high-quality drugs. The extensive digital evidence painted a picture of a well-organised operation that had been running for at least eight months before police intervened.
Ahmed pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, cannabis, ketamine and MDMA, as well as possession with intent to supply the same substances. He admitted his involvement on the basis that he was mainly concerned with cannabis supply, claiming he only supplied Class A drugs on a more limited basis.
In mitigation, defence barrister Matthew Hopkins told the court that his client had worked hard throughout his life and held down a good job as an IT coordinator and marketing assistant. Mr Hopkins argued that Ahmed had become involved in drug dealing through “utter stupidity” despite having legitimate employment and career prospects.
The defence emphasised that Ahmed had made full admissions to police when arrested and had cooperated with the investigation. However, the judge was unmoved by arguments that this was an isolated lapse in judgement, given the extensive evidence of prolonged drug dealing activity.
Sentencing Ahmed to three years and nine months imprisonment, the judge highlighted the serious nature of the offences and the damage that Class A drugs cause to communities across the North East. The court heard that cocaine and other Class A substances fuel addiction, violent crime and exploitation of vulnerable people.
The case represents another success for Northumbria Police’s efforts to tackle drug supply networks operating across Newcastle and the wider region. Officers have been targeting mid-level dealers like Ahmed who facilitate the distribution of harmful substances from organised crime groups to street-level dealers and users.
Detective sources indicated that the seizure of Ahmed’s phones provided valuable intelligence about the wider drug supply network operating across Tyneside. The digital evidence gathered is expected to assist in ongoing investigations into other members of the criminal organisation.
The sentencing comes amid a broader crackdown on drug dealing in Newcastle, with several major operations resulting in lengthy prison sentences for gang members in recent months. In May 2024, a Newcastle drugs gang operating from the Quayside was jailed for more than 27 years after police uncovered their operation supplying cocaine, ketamine and MDMA across the city.
Ahmed’s case highlights how drug dealers are increasingly using luxury vehicles and operating in affluent areas like Jesmond to avoid detection. However, the successful police operation demonstrates that surveillance and intelligence-led policing can identify and disrupt these networks regardless of where they operate.
The court heard that Ahmed’s legitimate employment in IT and marketing made his descent into drug dealing particularly disappointing. His technical skills may have helped him coordinate the complex logistics of running multiple drug lines across a wide geographical area.
With Ahmed now beginning his prison sentence, police have warned that they will continue to target those involved in drug supply at all levels of criminal organisations. The message to dealers is clear: regardless of whether they operate from luxury vehicles in affluent suburbs or on street corners, they will face the full force of the law.
The case serves as a stark reminder that involvement in drug supply, even for those with legitimate careers and prospects, leads inevitably to lengthy prison sentences and destroyed futures.
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