'Wholesale' drugs network dealers locked up

Three dealers who played their part in a "wholesale" heroin and cocaine network have been jailed.

One of the ringleaders, 31-year-old Leicester man Sarju Khushal, was sentenced to 11 years in jail in March last year.

While investigating Khusal, East Midlands Special Operations Unit identified other members of the drugs operation involved at different levels.

At Leicester Crown Court on Thursday and Friday, three men - Kenneth Galloway, Mohammod Jahed and Kian Senior - were locked up for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

All had pleaded guilty on the second day of trial.

Galloway, 31, of Myrtle Road in Leicester, was given 11 and a half years in prison; Jahed, 30, of Coleman Close in Leicester, was sentenced to eight years and three months in jail; and Senior, 31, of Thorpe Field Drive, Leicester, was jailed for six years and three months.

Leicestershire Police said Galloway and Jahed had each supplied at least 5kg of drugs, while Senior had handled 1kg of cocaine.

In addition, Khusal's partner, Saffron Franklin, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and possession of criminal property. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, suspended for two and a half years, and handed 150 hours' unpaid work and a 15-day rehabilitation programme.

From their Hazeldene Road home, Khushal would buy cocaine and heroin from Lancashire in wholesale amounts, then split it to supply both drug dealers and users in Leicestershire.

At trial, it was said Khushal had been involved in the supply of more than 19kg of Class A drugs, with a street value of more than £2m.

Police said Franklin would handle money and drugs, and "enjoyed some of the benefits of this criminal enterprise" - going on holidays and taking money from Khusal.

When their home was searched, police found a large quantity of Class A and B drugs, cash and devices - which showed evidence of drug dealing going back to 2018, and linking the couple to Galloway, Jahed and Senior.

A sixth defendant, Reece Bell, 34, of Broughton Road in Leicester, pleaded guilty in 2025, but failed to appear in court for sentencing at the time, police said.

In August last year, he was jailed for three years and seven months for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of criminal property.

Det Sgt Chris Sewell, senior investigating officer in the case, said: "We are in no way complacent, we know disrupting such a large-scale operation only opens a gap for others to fill.

"Our efforts to tackle the supply and distribution of controlled drugs remains ongoing and we will leave no stone unturned to identify offenders and bring them to justice."

Listen to BBC Radio Leicester on Sounds and follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.