Upton Park drug-dealing gang jailed for 17 years

A drugs gang has been jailed for over 17 years after admitting running an organised criminal network on the streets of Upton Park.

Four men and one woman were arrested in August following a string of complaints from residents that the group was causing a nuisance in the area.

Officers from Newham police’s Gangs and Firearms Unit discovered the gang was dealing Class A drugs and targeted them in an operation codenamed Slayton.

Kamber Azam, 35, of Crescent Road, Deepak Solanki, 33, of Gwendoline Avenue, Aklakur Rahman, 26, of Gwendoline Avenue, Keith Hourigan, 30, of Harold Road, and Linzi West, 34, of Boultwood Road, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and were sentenced to a total of 17 years and five months in prison at Inner London Crown Court on Friday May 3.

Det Insp Hendy, who was head of the Newham Gangs and Firearms Unit during the investigation, said: “This conviction sends a strong message to those who commit drug related crimes.

“By working in partnership with the community, Safer Neighbourhood Team and officers from the Specialist Crime & Operations the outcome has led to an increased quality of life and safer streets for the children of residents whose lives were blighted by street level drug suppliers organised by a local gang.”

Azam was jailed for five years and eight months; Solanki was jailed for four years and nine months; Rahman was jailed for two years and eight months; Hourigan was jailed for one year and eight months; and West was jailed for two years and eight months.