Derbyshire-run drugs gang sentenced

MEMBERS of a drugs gang have been jailed for importing more than £165m of cocaine into the UK.

Paldip Mahngar, leader of the Derby-based gang bought around 100kg of cocaine from contacts in Dubai using encrypted mobile phone messages.

According to the police, it was then sent across the country with the gang at one point making an estimated £400,000 a day.

After multiple trials, the 21-member gang was sentenced, with Mahngar being jailed for 18 years and three months.

The 45-year-old Mahngar ran the operation from his house in Willow Close, Darley Abbey.

Police said the moving of the drugs was organised by Jaswant Kajla, 41, of Bluebird Drive, Coventry, who also did the job of collecting money from the customers.

Meanwhile, the details of the money transactions was kept by the gang's accountant Manraj Johal, who maintained a detailed account on Excel spreadsheets.

The gang had two offices in Luton and Derby, and police said an estimated £18.6m was being made by the gang between 16 March and 30 April 2020.

The Derby office was run by Manvir Singh, 33, who sorted bundles of cash and assigned token numbers to be distributed by couriers. The police believes the gang's total earnings over the 408-day conspiracy to be £165,208,208.

Derbyshire Police said they were already on the trail of the gang when they were supplied with further evidence after the EncroChat phone system they were using was taken down.

Then the law enforcement in Europe infiltrated the system and passed on the information to to the UK authorities. Police with that information then intercepted 7kg of cocaine being transported in Derby in April 2020.

After four trials last year, members of the gang were sentenced at Derby Crown Court. There are three other members of the gang who will be sentenced at a later date.