Six individuals involved in a major drug trafficking operation between the West Midlands and Scotland have been sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court. The group, which ran the “Flash” drug line, supplied heroin and crack cocaine from the West Midlands into Aberdeen between 2017 and 2021.
The operation was uncovered following an investigation involving West Midlands Police and Police Scotland. The drugs were distributed to users in Aberdeen, who would place orders via a dedicated phone line based in the West Midlands. The drugs would then be delivered by street dealers in Aberdeen.
The mastermind behind the drug line, Rikardo Reid, a 34-year-old rapper known as Stardom, was sentenced to 12 years and nine months for his role in supplying heroin and crack cocaine, as well as for transferring and converting criminal property. Reid’s second-in-command, 35-year-old Joshua Nelson, also a rapper known as Pepc, was sentenced to 12 years and 10 months.
The criminal enterprise saw 40-year-old Mickel Gardner responsible for storing the drugs, while 29-year-old Cree Dacres and 28-year-old Himesh Suri transported the drugs to Aberdeen. 41-year-old Ian Massie assisted with the sales of the drugs in the local area.
During the investigation, police seized significant quantities of heroin, crack cocaine, and large amounts of cash. The phone used in the drug line was found in Reid’s home during a 2020 search.
Reid, Nelson, Gardner, Dacres, and Suri all pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A drugs. Massie, who denied the charges, was found guilty after a three-week trial. Massie was sentenced to 11 years and six months for supplying drugs and laundering criminal property.
A further trial is expected later this year for nine more individuals linked to the operation.
The case serves as a strong reminder of the police’s commitment to tackling organised crime and drug trafficking networks that harm communities across the UK.
