Drug ring four jailed

FOUR MEN involved in an Oldham drugs ring have been sent to prison.

The drugs — mainly high-quality cocaine worth £66,000 — were seized in raids at the homes of the four last July.

Ringleader Mohammed Ali Tubasum (35), who had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs was jailed for eight years. His number two, Barry McLaren (49), who was convicted of the same offence following a trial, was jailed for 11 years. The two others, said to have played a lesser role as warehousemen in the gang, were each given two years and three months.

Passing sentence Mr Recorder Charles Garside QC said Tubasum had directed and organised the business, to a degree exploiting the two store men, 50 year old Andrew Winterbottom, and 44-year-old Philip Brooker.

He said McLaren who has a partner and a young child, had played a leading role, and had been responsible for bringing Winterbottom and Brooker into the business.

A jury at Manchester Crown Court heard police had kept all four under surveillance for a month last summer. The bulk of the drug recovered — 200g of cocaine — was found in a safe at Winterbottom’s home in Brennan Court, Oldham. Tubasum of Napier Street West, Oldham, had the only key.

Winterbottom and Brooker had all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply the drug.