Four men have today (April 30) been jailed for conspiracy to supply drugs at Carlisle Crown Court.
Operation Gall began in 2023 after officers stopped a black Audi travelling on the M6 and located cocaine in a bag for life on the back seat.
The operation has led to the following people being sentenced for the supply of controlled drugs, namely Class A Cocaine and Class B Cannabis:
- Paul Simpson, 27, of Bounty Avenue, Maryport was sentenced to five years four months
- Richi McMillan, 27, of Grasmere Terrace, Maryport was sentenced to six years.
- Umbar Ali, 30, of Keighley, Bradford was sentenced to nine years.
- Haider Ali, 30, of Ashliegh Street, Keighley, Bradford was sentenced to five years eight months.
All pleaded guilty to the offences, with Haider Ali pleading guilty on the third day of his trial.
On 17 May 2023, officers stopped a black Audi driven by the sole occupant Haider Ali on the M6 northbound between J39 and J40.
Officers conducted a section 23 misuse of drugs act search on the vehicle, when officers asked Ali if they would find anything he replied, ‘There’s a bag on the back seat’. In the bag officers located eight 27.5g bags of Cocaine and two 122g bags of Cocaine.
Officers also located a phone with message between Ali and since identified Richi McMillian, the messages were Richi asking, ‘what you got’ and in response Ali sent a nose emoji.
McMillian was arrested the following day, officers searched his vehicle and located 3g of Cocaine and his phone. Evidence collected of numerous chats showed McMillan was receiving Cocaine and Cannabis from Umbar Ali to sell in west Cumbria. It also showed him communicating with Paul Simpson to arrange the supply of drugs and supplying drugs for others to sell.
Simpson was arrested on 22 November 2023 for his role in the conspiracy to supply drugs. Messages found on McMillian’s phone evidenced Simpson’s involvement in the conspiracy alongside financial transactions showing he sent money to Umbar Ali.
Messages on Haider Ali’s phone connected him to Umbar Ali, who was orchestrating Haider on who he should contact and visit in west Cumbria. The messages included discussion on cash collected and suggested that Haider was collecting drugs from Umbar before travelling to Cumbria.
On 28 July 2023, officers stopped a black VW Golf on Hall Brow, Workington with two occupants in the vehicle with Umbar being a passenger. The vehicle and males were searched with officers locating 231g of Cocaine, split in to four packages located inside a shoebox in a sports bag.
Umber and the driver of the vehicle were arrested.
The investigating officer Detective Constable Lewis Young from Cumberland CID said “We have contempt for anyone coming to Cumbria to exploit individuals supplying drugs within our communities.
“Operation Gall has led to disruption across the supply chain from supplier to dealer and we are committed to continue this by proactively targeting criminals.”
Detective Inspector Lee Brumpton from Cumberland CID said: “Convicting those involved in organised crime is a priority for the Constabulary.
“The public are urged to report any suspected drug supply activity in their community.
“We continue to actively target county line drug dealing to protect our communities and vulnerable people from those that seek to target them.
“Report any suspicious or drug dealing activity in your area, that one piece of intelligence could be the key to taking drug dealers off the streets of our county.”
You can report information on drug activities online - Report | Cumbria Police or call 101 – or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111