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Nottingham Evening Post
February 2, 2007 Friday
HEADLINE: Taxi drivers are warned after drugs bust on M1
Taxi drivers are being warned they could be unwitting drugs couriers after a cabbie was jailed for smuggling £200,000 of heroin.
Nottingham Cars driver Jazbir Singh, 30, of Japonica Drive, Cinderhill, was jailed for six and a half years after being caught with 2kg of the drug.
Rezwan Salid, 25, of Lismore Road, Radford, said he was ordered by drugs bosses to travel to Liverpool in Singh's taxi to collect it.
But they were caught when police stopped the taxi between junctions 24 and 25 of the M1 on July 13 last year. Boots worker Salid, who was jailed for five and a half years, jumped out of the Toyota Avensis and threw the holdall laden with heroin over the motorway barrier.
When it was found soon afterwards, he burst into tears, claiming he only agreed to the job so he could pay-off £4,000 of debt to gangsters who he said put a gun in his mouth. Although Singh never denied knowing about the drugs, Chief Inspector Colin Martin has warned cabbies to stay vigilant.
He said: "If drivers are asked to carry a package from Nottingham to Liverpool or vice-versa they need to make some inquiries about what is in it. "If they have any concerns they have got to consider their own position. "If they are caught with a controlled substance they are most likely to go to prison.
"Drivers need to ask more than just the cursory questions to find out what is in the package." He added: "It's almost linked to the story about dealers trying to encourage children to run drugs. "Dealers will try and distance themselves from the dirty work and they will pray on vulnerable people, whether they be a child, user or taxi driver."
After the case, prosecuting barrister Sarah Knight said: "From the drugs officers statements it seems clear that taxis are being used for distribution of drugs and that was so in this case." Salid and Singh, both dressed in shirt and tie, stood emotionless as the sentences were read out at Nottingham Crown Court.
But there were tears in the public gallery as Judge Michael Stokes passed his sentence. He said: "I am not interested in why you did it. "Had you not been caught I am in no doubt that it would have gone into circulation in this county and city and damaged numerous individuals."
The court heard the heroin had a purity rate of 42%. Officers also found £2,900 at Singh's home and £430 at Salid's property. Representing Singh, who admitted possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply, Robert Egbuna told the court: "He (Singh) has no previous convictions. His wife and brothers and members of his community are in court.
"There's a real element of shame. A custodial sentence is going to be very hard for him to bear."
Michael Evans, representing Salid, who admitted the same offence, said: "When he was arrested he started crying. He told officers 'You don't understand, I am the victim.' He was crying that he was told he must go up to Liverpool and that he had a gun placed in his mouth. "At the time he was too scared to tell the police, although he should have done this beforehand."
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