Head of sophisticated Peterborough drugs network who used alias from Hollywood film 'American Gangster' jailed

The head of a sophisticated drugs network who went by the name of a drugs baron from a Hollywood film on an encrypted communications network has been jailed.

Six members of an organised crime group (OCG) who ran multiple drugs lines across Peterborough have been jailed today (Friday) after admitting their part in a substantial drugs conspiracy.

The six men were jailed for a total of 54 years for selling cocaine and heroin in the town, following an investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operation Unit (ERSOU) which was launched in February 2022.

Gang ran four drugs lines in Peterborough

The gang, headed up by Daniel Khalid Kilroy, 32, of Abbotts Close, Stamford, were responsible for running four drugs lines across the city, with each line making approximately £75,000 a month.

Kilroy organised other members of the criminal network to travel to Bradford to collect large amounts of drugs, often using Peterborough based taxis.

The gang then delivered the packages to ‘stash’ houses in Peterborough, where the drugs were distributed to lower level drug dealers.

Specialist investigators from ERSOU’s Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) began the operation after a courier for the OCG, Usman Iftikhar, 30, was arrested in February with 13 kilos of heroin and cocaine. He was subsequently jailed for more than six years.

Detectives discovered messages between co-conspirators, who used the encrypted chat network Signal Chat to communicate, which revealed the gang’s business strategy of buying and selling wholesale amounts of class A drugs to other customers. The messages also revealed the group’s links to criminal networks across the country.

It also showed Kilroy to have the username of ‘Frank Lucas’ on the network, seemingly styling himself to his co-conspirators as the ‘American drug lord’ and prolific heroin dealer from the 1970s, famed for removing the middlemen of the New York drug scene. His story featured in the film ‘American Gangster’.

Data interrogation by ERSOU also revealed that Kilroy and the rest of the group spent on average £800,000 a month on buying drugs.

Peterborough men jailed at court

At Cambridge Crown Court, Kilroy was sentenced to 12 years and 10 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin between August 2021 to October 2022.

Sajjad Shabir, 34, of Century Square, Peterborough, who ran two of the four drugs lines, was sentenced to 10 years for being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.

Rafaqit Hussain, 40, of Crown Street, Peterborough, was arrested that same month and found with two kilos of cocaine. He was also found to take money from and re-supply the lines with drugs. He was sentenced to eight years and three months.

Mohammed Tai, 34, of Dark Lane, Batley, was sentenced to eight years and one month for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Ahmed Akhtar, 30, of Cromwell Road, Peterborough, was arrested in September 2022 with £100,000 in his possession. He was sentenced to eight years and one month for his role in the conspiracy.

Ali Arshad, 51, of Harris Street, Peterborough, was arrested in August 2022 with £100,000 in his possession. He was sentenced to six years and nine months for his role in the conspiracy.

An eighth member of the OCG went to trial and was subsequently found not guilty.

Impacts of drug dealing felt across country

Detective Inspector Anthony Grief, from ERSOU’s ROCU, said: “Today marks the conclusion of a protracted and complex investigation into the supply of class A drugs into the eastern region.

“This was a major criminal network which spanned across the country. We have taken out some major players in the region’s drugs trade which I have no doubt will have a direct impact on reducing violence and exploitation, which so often goes hand in hand with the supply of illegal drugs.

“The effects of serious and organised crime are devastating to our communities. ERSOU is committed to the fight against class A drug supply and safeguarding the communities we serve.”