A man has been jailed for three years after being convicted of dealing Class A drugs in Southall, with police describing him as “one of the bigger street-level dealers” now removed from the area.
Ahmed Safi, who had been sleeping rough between Southall and Hillingdon and was known to frequent the Southall Green ward, was sentenced to three years in prison for two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. He also received a one-month sentence for obstructing a constable, to run concurrently.
PCSO Czeslaw Rush, of Southall Green ward, said officers had initially been unable to prove their suspicions about Safi’s involvement in drug dealing.
Posting on Met Engage, he said: “We had suspected that Ahmed was involved in drug dealing which we could not prove at the time, so we started by using powers related to anti-social behaviour.”
Police issued a series of escalating measures, beginning with an Anti-Social Behaviour warning, followed by a Community Protection Warning and ultimately a Community Protection Notice. The notice imposed conditions including a ban on entering areas within the UB1 and UB2 postcodes, and prohibiting the carrying of drug paraphernalia or engaging in behaviour deemed anti-social.
PCSO Rush said Safi’s behaviour “did not improve”, and officers later stopped him when he appeared “panicked and eager to get away”.
A search during his arrest uncovered a large quantity of Class A drugs concealed on his person. He was subsequently charged, remanded in custody and later convicted at court.
PCSO Rush added: “We hope this reassures you on what we are doing, as information like this cannot be shared until sentencing has taken place.”
