West Midlands Drug Gang Jailed for 80 Years

A drug smuggling gang has been sentenced to over 80 years in prison after West Midlands Police dismantled their operation, which involved transporting over a tonne of cocaine hidden in pallets of raw chicken. The group, comprised of ten members from various locations including Birmingham and Wolverhampton, was found to have made an estimated £10 million through their sophisticated drug trafficking scheme. Police seized 400kg of cocaine along with £1.6 million in cash, much of which was concealed in vehicle tires and machinery. Key arrests occurred in July 2020, including Maninder Dosanjh and Amandeep Rishi, who were caught with over 150kg of cocaine. The gang communicated using the encrypted platform EncroChat, which was infiltrated by law enforcement. Detective Chief Inspector Pete Cooke highlighted the scale and impact of the gang's activities on communities, noting the extensive investigation that led to their capture.