London, June 26: An Indian-origin woman in the UK has been sentenced to seven years in jail for being part of a gang who preyed on children to supply drugs, the Metropolitan Police said.
Sarina Duggal, 28, of no fixed address, was convicted along with five others last week at Bournemouth Crown Court after being found guilty of supplying Class A drugs, following a seven-week trial.
The drug supply was controlled in and around London and Birmingham and supplied in Bournemouth, the Metropolitan Police said.
Duggal and gang used vulnerable children to supply Class A drugs — crack cocaine and heroin to users in Bournemouth.
Police launched an investigation last year after a 16-year-old boy from Farnborough was arrested in Bournemouth for being in possession of a large quantity of crack cocaine and heroin.
A mobile phone was seized from him following his arrest, and he was released under investigation, whilst support mechanisms could be put in place to safeguard him.
Detectives carried out extensive analysis of communications data of key contacts between the offenders, mobile phone downloads including social media conversations between them.
They also trawled through hours of CCTV, looking at a hotel within Bournemouth. Duggal, along with four others, was identified as controlling the aHustle’ county drug line, which had operated within Bournemouth.
The 16-year-old child had been working for her.During a targeted operation in September 2022, officers arrested two other gang members and found a large quantity of crack cocaine and heroin.
Additionally, another 16-year-old missing boy from Warwickshire was located within a flat in the Boscombe area of Bournemouth.
“This criminal gang were exploiting two children, both missing from London, to run their County Line from London to Bournemouth and in doing so, placed them at the forefront of the supply chain, exposed to the most risk, whilst they harnessed the profits,” Detective Chief Inspector Dan Mitchell said.
A warrant was executed in Birmingham last year resulting in the arrest of the line holders.
“This line showed determination, adapted its methods, and showed it was not to be deflected from its ambition,” Judge Jonathan Fuller KC said.
According to Daily Echo, the court heard that Duggal came from a “good family” and had been set to study law before meeting Adam Sheikh — Duggal’s husband and ringleader of the crew, who was handed a 12-year sentence.
“Your hopeful career of being a lawyer is now clearly dashed. You recognise you’ve thrown away a promising future through your choice of becoming a drug dealer,” Judge Fuller KC told Duggal before sentencing her to prison.
All the six dealers were sentenced to a combined total of 39 years and six months in prison by the Bournemouth Crown Court.
“The teenagers were not prosecuted and were referred to Children’s Services from respective local authorities.
