A "trusted lieutenant" played a significant role in an organised crime group which saw him responsible for multi-kilo purchases of heroin. He and his cousin used EncroChat phones in an attempt to evade authorities.
Rizwan Anwar, 29, of Newport, was involved in the buying and selling of six kilograms of heroin during March and July 2020. His role involved gathering large amounts of cash for multiple kilos of heroin.
In messages to his cousin, named Ali, he spoke about making sure the "bash" was properly packaged for onward supply and directed others on the street such as runners to transport the drugs and collect cash from dealers. Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: "A very large amount of drugs were trafficked and considerable sums of money were thereby generated. You were an integral part of the organised crime group and played a significant role in its success."
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Having been arrested, Anwar was said by the judge to play "duck and drakes" with police and lied about his involvement in the operation. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard the defendant used the EncroChat handle "Wigglyflame" when communicating with others.
The court heard Anwar was involved in the delivery of drugs from Merseyside, and a message from an upstream supplier said a courier had been given £50,000. In a series of messages, Anwar asked Ali about complaints made by drug users about the quality of the heroin they had purchased, which had been heavily adulterated. Ali said to Anwar to give those that complained a higher purity of drugs, but to continue dealing the adulterated drugs to others.
It was said the defendant was at the "heart" of the organised crime group in the buying and distribution of the drugs, which proved to be lucrative financially. The network he was involved with was also said to be "sophisticated" due to the use of the EncroChat phones.
Anwar, of Rochester Road, Newport, later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of class A. In mitigation, the court heard Anwar worked under Ali and the description of him as as a "trusted lieutenant" was not justifiable. It was said he was a sourced of "support and comfort" to his mother who was physically and mentally unwell.
Judge Jenkins said he was "satisfied" that Anwar was a "trusted lieutenant" to his cousin. He added: "Anyone who involves themselves in the way you did in the supply of class A drugs faces only one type of sentence, that is immediate imprisonment."
Anwar was sentenced to a total of nine years imprisonment. He will half of the sentence in custody before he is released on licence.
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