Two men jailed for drugs supply offences in Southampton

Two men were yesterday (Friday, 9 July) jailed for a total of seven years and two months for drugs supply offences in Southampton.

 

Shahir Hashemi, aged 19, of Somerset Avenue, Southampton was sentenced to three years six months after pleading guilty to four counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and one count of affray at an earlier hearing. 

 

Faisal Salaah, aged 28, of Cobden Avenue, Southampton, was jailed for three years eight months after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs. 

 

The court heard that on the 17 January, officers from Southampton’s High Harm team observed Hashemi, Salaah and a teenage boy in Hoglands Park acting in a manner that led them to believe a drug deal was taking place. Following an exchange between the men, Hashemi got on an e-scooter and left the park in the direction of Kingsland. 

 

Officers quickly approached Salaah and the teenage boy and carried out a search before arresting them for drugs offences. 

 

After Hashemi had exited the park on an e-scooter, two other officers attempted to stop him, as he turned into St Mary’s Road, but Hashemi immediately made off. After a short pursuit, Hashemi attempted to jump over a wall but he was detained. A search was then conducted and officers located a phone, suspected to be used in connection with drugs. Hashemi was also arrested for drugs offences.

 

Officers later carried out a search warrant at an address Salaah had been residing at and located a large wrap of white substance, a smaller wrap of white substance, a freezer bag containing cannabis and two large bags of cannabis along with other items associated with drug dealing.

 

Officers also found two separate bundles of cash in coats hanging on a door to the lounge. One of the bundles contained £2040 and the other £1500.

 

Following analysis, the drugs were confirmed to be cocaine and crack cocaine with a total street value between £3,380 and £3,840.

 

The cannabis was also analysed and confirmed to have a total street value of around £3340.

 

The investigation also showed that the phone seized from Hashemi was holding a drug line, used to send marketing messages advertising the sale of Class A drugs.  

 

Both Hashemi and Salaah appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Friday, 9 July, where they were jailed for a combined jail term of seven years and two months for drugs offences.

 

A 17-year-old boy from Southampton was arrested and charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A, and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. No evidence was offered at an earlier hearing and his case was dismissed.

 

Detective Constable Adrian Lugg from Southampton’s Investigation team said “This is an excellent result following a great piece of work by officers from the High Harm Team, and the Criminal Investigation Department who brought this investigation to court.

 

“Drugs supply and associated crime can be devastating to communities which is why we continue to do everything we can to tackle them and keep our communities safe. 

 

“We urge anyone who has any information or concerns about drug related activity in their neighbourhood to get in touch. Every call you make helps us to build a strong intelligence picture and enables us to take positive action and bring offenders to justice.

 

You can call us on 101 or online at https://www.hampshire.police.uk/.

 

Alternatively, if you don’t want to talk to the police, you can contact Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/