WATCH: Drone captures binbag full of drugs being lobbed over Birmingham fence during raid that resulted in four arrests

A police drone captured a drug dealer lobbing a bin bag of cocaine and heroin over a backyard fence as police smashed their way into a home. He was seen frantically running from the property, which was being raided by police, and grabbed the drugs from a barbecue.

The men were handed sentences of up to nine and a half years in prison for their role in the drugs gang.

West Midlands Police's County Lines Task Force began investigating a drugs line known as the “Saj Line”, which was run from a phone number ending 176.

Users in the south of Birmingham would  call or text the number between 9am and midnight every day to order drugs.

A police investigation showed  an incredible 63,426 incoming calls, 27,451 outgoing calls, and nearly 9,000 text messages were sent and received on the line from when it it went live in June 2023 to when they smashed it in May last year.

A major operation involving analysis of multiple mobile phones and their movements over time enabled them to identify the gang members, including two brothers and their nephew.

On May 9 last year, raids were carried out on two neighbouring homes on Kenelm Road, Small Heath, which were both occupied by Sajad Akram. He was arrested at the address.

As it was raided, his nephew Zain Hussain was filmed by a drone recovering a black bag from a barbecue and throwing it into the garden of a neighbouring property before he too was arrested.

When the bag was recovered, cocaine worth more than £10,000 was found along with hundreds of pounds worth of heroin.

At the same time, associate Asif Mohammed was arrested at an address on Blakeland Street, Small Heath, where officers seized four mobile phones, class A drugs and note paper with details of drug deals.

Last Friday (4 April), the men were sentenced for their roles in the operation:  Shazad Akram, aged 46, of Heather Road, Birmingham was jailed for nine years and six months after admitting being concerned in supply of heroin and cocaine. His brother Sajad Akram, aged 43, of Kenelm Road, Small Heath was given three years and seven months after admitting the same offences.

Asif Mohammed, aged 46, of Blakeland Street, Birmingham was jailed for three years and four months after admitting the same offences.

Zain Hussain, aged 27, of Kenelm Road. Birmingham wad given two years jail, suspended for two years after admitting possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine.

Detective Inspector Mark Robinson from West Midlands Police's County Lines Task Force, said: “This was a substantial drugs line, selling to users across the south of Birmingham.

“We estimate more than 60 unique callers were getting in touch with the number each day, and so over the period that the number was operating, the gang may have sold up to 12kg of class A drugs.

“Shazad played a leading role – managing the phone and directing others to go and supply the drugs that were being asked for.

“Sajad would bag up drugs for the line and on occasion carry out deals himself, while Asif was the one who would often be out during the dealing and Zain was filmed trying to dispose of the drugs on the day.”

"We are relentless in our pursuit of drug dealers across the West Midlands, but we need your help in bringing them to justice. If you have information, get in touch with us via 101 or Live Chat on our website.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Operation Target is a 24/7 effort to tacklet those involved in serious and organised crime across the region.

Find out more here: Operation Target | West Midlands Police