Officers hit the jackpot after information leads to man being jailed for cannabis supply

A man who hid abroad after his role in a cannabis supply gang was uncovered by police has been jailed after information from the public revealed he was back in the UK.

Mohamed Abdulkadir Farah, aged 29, is the seventh person to be jailed following the investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU).

The operation to bring down the group began in 2022, with detectives uncovering a criminal set-up that was supplying the Class B drug both within Northampton and into Buckinghamshire and Essex.

When enforcement action was taken in April 2023 Farah was in Saudi Arabia, and following the arrests of his co-conspirators the Swedish national opted not to return to the UK, instead relocating to Sweden.

Undeterred by being unable to extradite Farah, earlier this year detectives received a lead suggesting Farah was back in the UK in Milton Keynes.

From this, the investigative team were able to build a picture of Farah’s activities, finding a car he was using and eventually securing his arrest in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, on April 3.

Once in custody, it was found Farah, of Towan Avenue, Milton Keynes, had assumed a new identity.

He was charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis, and at Northampton Crown Court on Friday, May 16, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

Speaking afterwards, senior investigating officer Detective Sergeant Chris Sewell of EMSOU, said: “Mohamed Farah joins a long list of his criminal colleagues who are all now behind bars for their parts in a drug supply network that we were able to evidence as supplying around 100kg of cannabis during the conspiracy period.

“When we had the proof we needed to move against the group Farah was abroad, but our team refused to give up, exploring every avenue and making the crucial breakthrough thanks to information from the public.

“The timeline of this investigation makes it clear that regardless of where criminals run to, and how long they hide, we will continue our work to ensure they are charged and brought to justice.

“I would like to thank everyone who has worked on this job for their dedication and tenacity, as well as those who provided information to help us – they supplied the vital piece that completed our puzzle and enabled us to bring another member of this group to account.”

In April Viktor Karavaqiri, aged 26, was sentenced to three years and four months’ imprisonment after admitting one count of conspiracy to supply a Class B drug (cannabis), after he was extradited from Spain in December 2024 to face justice.

Five other men convicted of offences relating to the conspiracy, including ringleader Fjoraldo Lazaj, were jailed for a total of more than 15 years at the same court last July and August. Proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act are now underway.