"Major Breakthrough in Diego Drug Line Investigation: Key Figures Brought To Justice"

Hi and welcome to this Jason King B'ham Insight for VPN: REGIONAL NETWORK:

The elusive 'Diego' drugs line has been shut down as part of 'Operation Huntarian,' a major investigation launched in November 2022 targeting drug dealing activities across Birmingham and Solihull. Three key players have been convicted. These are: Adam Slater, 21, Tiahna Phillips, 22, and Yasine Sadiq, 26, - in additional to regional drugs supply Baron, Levi Mukwita, who supplied this, and several other drugs lines.

The Diego line was initially operated by Adam Slater and Tiahna Phillips.On 23 May 2023, after a six-month investigation, authorities executed seventeen warrants across Birmingham and Solihull, dismantling the operations of the Diego line and three other interconnected drug lines.

Despite these setbacks, the Diego line resumed operations under 'new management', as on February 17, 2023, Yasine Sadiq reactivated the Diego line, switching it to a different network to evade police detection. However, telecommunications investigations and CCTV footage linked Yasine Sadiq to the reactivated line, leading to his identification and eventual arrest.

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The Diego line, like the other lines involved in the operation, used sophisticated tactics to evade law enforcement:

- Regularly switching phone numbers and networks to avoid detection.

- Engaging drug users to top up the phone lines in exchange for drugs, a common tactic to obscure the line's operators.

During the coordinated operation on May 23, several key figures were arrested:

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Following their arrests, all individuals involved in the Diego line, along with others from interconnected lines, were charged and have since pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Sentencing will take place at a later date.

### Impact and Statements

The people of the region herald this as a considerable policing success, fully aware of what this type of organised criminallity means. In the words of Detective Inspector Phil Poole of the County Lines Team: "The people involved have caused misery in communities in Birmingham and Solihull, by fuelling serious and organized crime such as knife crime, burglary, and robbery."

Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.

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Jason King

Birmingham City-Desk

Twitter (X) @JasonKingNews

[email protected]

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