6 Men Jailed Over Big Drugs Ring

Six men have been jailed for more than 30 years between them for conspiracy to supply class A drugs in Southampton.

The men were arrested following a series of raids in Southampton including addresses in Northbrook Road and Atherley Road on July 11th last year as part of Operation Fortress.

Eleven thousand pounds worth of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine were recovered during the initial raids and further drugs were recovered in some follow up raids both in London and Southampton.

The men were all charged with two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. They were sentenced at a hearing at Southampton Crown Court on Friday, February 15.

They were given the jail terms as follows for the conspiracy charges:

Tamoor Mirza, aged 30 (address given as HMP Winchester): 5.5 years

Majid Mirza, aged 32, (address given at HMP Winchester): 7 years

Darren Anders, aged 25, of Northbrook Road, Southampton: 3 years

Myles Harris, aged 23, of Butchers Walk, Kent: 10 years

Phillip Bruce, aged 26, of Dunbar Street, London: 4 years

Gary Banton, aged 20, from Tulse Hill, London pleaded guilty at earlier hearing and this was taken into consideration with his sentence of 32 months.

A seventh man, Rico Tracey, aged 25 of St Louis Road, London, who was due to be sentenced today will now be sentenced on April 12.

Majid Mirza and Darren Anders were also sentenced to 18 months (Mirza) and 12 months (Anders) to run concurrently for being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Detective Superintendant Kath Barnes who leads the Operation Fortress team said: ''Today's sentences reflect the seriousness of what these men were up to. They were working together to bring drugs into our city and sell them. I hope this gets a clear message across to anyone involved in the drugs trade that we won't tolerate it.  

The Operation Fortress team will continue to target people like this and we will bring them to justice.  We want to make sure Southampton remains a hostile place for drug dealers and those who bring drug-related violence into the city.''