Louis Williams, 32, of Milne Close, Gorton, was sentenced to four years and ten months in prison at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday, 7 October, after pleading guilty to multiple drug supply offences and possessing criminal property.
His associate, Hamza Rafique, 32, of Stamford Road, Manchester, had previously been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison at the end of July. His convictions included supplying cannabis, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, and possessing criminal property.
The investigation began shortly before 10pm on 25 April, when officers from Gorton Neighbourhood Policing Team spotted a suspicious vehicle during patrols.
When officers attempted to engage with the vehicle, the driver fled, sparking a pursuit through residential streets at speeds of up to 60mph.
The chase ended when the car collided with a bollard and the driver abandoned the vehicle. Rafique, who was later identified as the driver, attempted to escape on foot before being found hiding inside a shop. Officers discovered a bag containing cannabis and a mobile phone that he had tried to conceal.
Further checks revealed that the vehicle had been stolen just days earlier.
Investigators subsequently established that Rafique had been acting as a drugs runner, distributing cannabis to customers across Greater Manchester. Analysis of his mobile phone uncovered communications linking him to Williams, who was identified as the individual overseeing the operation and controlling the supply and distribution of drugs.
Officers then executed two warrants at addresses associated with Williams, recovering substantial quantities of suspected drugs and other evidence connected to the operation.
The seizures included dozens of cannabis wraps, a bucket containing cannabis, snap bags, weighing scales, quantities of Class A drugs and more than £6,000 in cash. Officers also recovered additional drug-related equipment.
Following an investigation led by Gorton neighbourhood officers, both men were charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to their respective offences.
The prison sentences mark the conclusion of a case that began with a routine patrol and developed into an investigation exposing a wider drug distribution network operating across Manchester and surrounding areas.
