A drugs 'Queenpin' who ran a county lines heroin and cocaine empire on her own while boasting of her luxury lifestyle on Snapchat has been jailed. Henna Ashraf, 25, posted pictures of bundles cash on the social media app and went to the swanky London district of Knightsbridge for £500 haircuts at upmarket salons.
A court heard she also showed off her wealth by taking pictures inside her flash Mercedes car before she was eventually rumbled by police. Last month she became the first woman across the West Midlands force area to be convicted of running a county lines drugs operation by herself.
Ashraf was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday. The court was told the drug dealer made her money by running the 'Mase Line' from her home in Birmingham to Torquay, Devon - 180 miles away.
She was arrested after police stopped her near junction 24 on the M5 in December 2020 while she was driving Mercedes. Police said Ashraf panicked as officers swooped and an object was seen being thrown from the driver’s side of her vehicle - believed to be class A drugs.
Inside the car, officers found a damaged Nokia mobile phone folded in half and then wedged between the seats and the centre console. Despite snapping the handset to try and destroy potential evidence, the identifying number was still visible and was later linked as a ‘Mase Line' burner phone.
Text messages were obtained which were sent from the phone with one saying ‘Best both deals cal now fat bits’ - terminology to refer to heroin and crack cocaine. Other messages advertising deals ‘On with both cal now fat bits deals mase line' which was sent to dozens of contacts in her phone.
The handset also revealed she had sent several Snapchat messages boasting about her successful life as a drug dealer. Ashraf, of Harborne, Birmingham, was convicted of being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin between 14 August 2020 and 9 December 2020.
Detective Superintendent Syed Hussain, West Midlands Police lead for County Lines, said: “County Lines gangs should know they are in our sights and our work goes on 24/7 throughout the year to stop them. Ashraf was unusual in being a lone woman heading a County Lines drugs operation and we are delighted to have worked with our colleagues at Avon and Somerset Police to put an end to this drugs line and secure a successful conviction at court.
“Communities are left destroyed by County Lines and we are determined to stop people like Ashraf from profiting from the misery of others. We work with a raft of partners and local authorities as well as charities and we try to raise awareness of the general public so that they can become more aware of the dangers associated with County Lines and exploitation.”
