Southend drug gang ringleader jailed for almost a decade

Shazad Miah, 30, took thousands of pounds in ill-gotten gains by running a drug line supplying crack cocaine and heroin in Southend.

The specialist Operation Raptor team at Essex Police conducted a forensic investigation into the "Frankie" drug line, which used 10 different mobile numbers to send out messages advertising the sale of Class A drugs.

Miah held the drug line phones across a period between February and June 2023, with up to five runners working under him on any given day.

Shazad Miah jailed for nine years (Image: Essex Police)

Across his running of the "Frankie" line, Essex Police believe an estimated 2.295kg of Class A drugs were supplied, valued at around £191,000.

Following an investigation, Miah was charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine and possessing criminal property.

He pleaded not guilty to the drugs charges despite the extensive evidence against him.

He had already twice faced conviction for previous drug dealing matters, once in 2013 and again in 2020, when he was jailed for 36 months.

At a trial held at Basildon Crown Court, he gave evidence that he was selling cannabis and admitted his bank accounts had been used to launder the profits for excessive spending and holidays.

A bag of Class A drugs seized from a runner working for the 'Frankie' line (Image: Essex Police)

But he tried to convince the jury he had no involvement in selling Class A drugs, insisting he was merely a runner for a cannabis dealing line.

He said he worked for the boss whose street name is "Frankie".

The jury took just one hour and 40 minutes to return guilty verdicts on each count.

Appearing for sentencing at the same court on Thursday, August 8, Miah’s barrister said his client made “a dishonest gamble to keep his family together” by denying the charges.

Miah was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment.

During his time running the drug line, and without any other plausible source of income, Miah splashed out on four expensive holidays.

These were paid for from a business bank account and personal accounts, set up under a fake car hire business.

Using these accounts, he took in more than £30,000 in criminal profit.

The day before his arrest, Miah was relaxing on a privately chartered boat in Turkey – sending boastful pictures to one of his runners back in the UK.

Little did he know that Operation Raptor detectives had long been building a case against him.

Essex Police officers had even caught him on CCTV at a shop, a five-minute drive from his home address in Rochford, purchasing a SIM card for one of the drug line phones.

Miah returned from Turkey to Luton Airport, carrying the ‘Frankie’ drug line phone with him, on June 4, 2023.

He was met by our officers, who promptly arrested him.

Simultaneously that same day, Essex Police executed a warrant on his home in Ashingdon Road, Rochford, seizing evidence including more than £3,000 in cash from a safe found at the property.

A passport belonging to one of his suspected runners was also found stowed inside the safe.

Det Sgt Rob Maile, of Op Raptor South, said: “Miah filtered in excess of £30,000 through various bank accounts, money we know was a result of Class A drug dealing.

“He was distanced from the harsh reality of crack cocaine and heroin use, which brings associated anti-social behaviour impacting our communities and a disastrous impact on the lives of those addicted to these substances.

“Instead, he used the profits of this drug line to fund holidays to Paris, Menorca, Amsterdam and Turkey – all within a four-month period.

“Unlike those impacted, devastatingly, by the trade of the drugs he sold, he lived beyond his means – directing the runners on the streets in Southend. Others took the risk, for little of the reward.

“Miah had runners deposit cash into his bank accounts whilst he was on holiday, which he then used for further expensive purchases.

“We traced his links to the drug line phones, we traced his financial activity and we traced his movements to build a solid case against him.

“He knew he faced serious prison time for this activity, having previously been convicted for similar drug dealing in the past.

“Our work against Miah won’t stop with his imprisonment, we will be looking at ways of preventing and discouraging any further offending.

“At any level, either lower down the chain or those running the operation, drug dealers cannot operate with impunity in Essex.”

Essex Police say they are pursuing a Serious Crime Prevention Order against Miah, which would significantly restrict his ability to reoffend upon his release.

Proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act are also underway to recoup as much of his criminal gains as possible.