Mahmood and Sarhan, along with two others, were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court.[1] Three members of the gang were jailed at Swansea Crown Court, though the ringleaders remain at large.[2] Police launched an investigation into a Kurdish gang believed to be recruiting asylum seekers to sell drugs via the Pasha line in Swansea.[1]
On 11 August 2026 officers saw a suspected drug exchange in Carlton Terrace in the Mount Pleasant area of Swansea.[1] They arrested Sirwan Aland, aged 22, from a black Audi which contained cannabis, cash and drugs equipment.[1] Omer Mahmood was spotted driving a Ford Focus in Swansea later the same day and was arrested.[1] The investigation led officers to a property in Swansea where they found Barzan Sarhan in a bedroom.[2] In the house officers found bags of cannabis, cash, identity documents, a lock knife, cocaine, car keys and phones, including the one holding the Pasha line number.[2] One of the keys opened a VW Golf parked nearby, where officers found bags of cannabis and cash in a hidden footwell compartment.[2] Mohammed Yasin was identified as another member of the gang and was arrested the following day.[2] The court was told police seized 17 grams of cocaine worth up to £1,000 and 1.2 kilograms of cannabis worth up to £8,000, along with cannabis vapes, edibles and a quantity of cash.[2]
Mahmood, Sarhan and Yasin all admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possessing criminal property.[1] Sarhan further pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply.[1] Aland admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.[1] With discounts for his guilty pleas, Mahmood was sentenced to 28 months’ detention in a young offenders’ institution.[2] With discounts for his guilty pleas, Sarhan was sentenced to four years in prison.[2] Yasin was sentenced to 28 months for the drugs matters and two months for a Treorchy burglary, with three months of an earlier suspended sentence activated, making 33 months in all.[2] Aland was given an 18-month community order with a probation requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work.[2] In interview Mahmood claimed he was being paid £30 a day to supply cocaine and cannabis.[1] Mahmood, the 20-year-old living in West Bromwich, is an Iraqi national with no leave to remain in the UK.[1]
Judge Huw Rees said the court was dealing with serious offences of trafficking Class A and Class B drugs.[2] Sarhan has a previous conviction for conspiracy to supply cocaine, for which Swansea Crown Court sentenced him to four years in 2024.[2]
