The operation: Hamsa Harun, 27, Nowfel Guioua, 21, and a 16-year-old accomplice met in London on 21 February before travelling to Ipswich. Telecoms evidence showed they remained co-located in the town for four days before their arrest.
The arrest: Officers from the South Sentinel team stopped their black Audi A3 in Ipswich on 25 February. All three occupants were detained for Misuse of Drugs Act searches. Harun, the driver, initially provided false details but admitted his correct identity en route to custody.
What they found: Guioua, the front seat passenger, had a mobile phone and £670 in cash seized from him. The 16-year-old was found with a large quantity of crack and heroin concealed in his clothing.
The evidence trail: Property searches revealed the scale of their intended operation. At Guioua's Croft Street address, officers recovered £3,000 in cash, scales, cling film, a small amount of cannabis and a lock knife. In Harun's property, they found scales and a SIM card – common tell-tale signs of drug-dealing operations.
How Sentinel teams work: The three Sentinel teams across Suffolk's south, west and eastern areas provide enhanced coverage of the county's road network. They use various techniques to proactively disrupt serious and organised criminal activity whilst increasing police visibility.
The sentences: Harun received five years and six months at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday, 19 May, after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. Guioua was sentenced to three years for the same offence. The 16-year-old is awaiting trial.
Sergeant Dave Logan from the South Sentinel team said: "These males have tried to make money by causing misery to others. Despite being London based, they have attempted to sell crack and heroin within Ipswich and I am glad we were able to stop them in the infancy of their operation."
The bottom line: Suspected drug activity can be reported via www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/report-something/report-crime, by calling 101, or anonymously through Crimestoppers at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or 0800 555 111.
