Loughton: Drug dealers who used 'stash car' jailed for 18 years

A dealer who brazenly tried to resurrect his convicted brother’s drug line has been jailed for more than seven years after an investigation led by our Serious and Organised Crime Unit.

More than 18 years in prison sentences have been secured against Ballayat Sayeed, 33, and two of his trusted lieutenants.

Essex Police had initially taken action against the ‘RAD’ drugs line in 2020, culminating in a 14-year prison sentence for its leader Arafat Sayeed.

Arafat had been convicted of conspiring to supply Class A drugs and possession of firearms.

From October 2021, it was established that his brother, Ballayat, had kick started the drug line once again, building up a large customer base in the trade of Class A and B drugs.

Officers traced bulk advertising messages sent out to customers on a regular basis until December 2022.

Ballayat Sayeed, of Cowley Road, Ilford, was the principal holder of the drugs line.

He entrusted Qasir Afzal, 41, of Howard Close, Waltham Abbey, as his man on the ground, responsible for resupplying, supplying drugs to runners and giving them instructions.

Another lieutenant Kailash Gunaseelan, 23, of Buntingbridge Road, Ilford, was also trusted to hold the drugs line phone.

Building a case

During the investigation, patterns of behaviour emerged.

It became clear Afzal used a Mitsubishi Shogun, left parked in a road in Loughton, as a stash location for drugs.

Other work around communications with customers revealed the drug line was lucrative, with a minimum of 12,900 drug deals across a 42-week period.

Our analysis showed the line could make around £600,000 within a 14-month period.

Warrants were executed at the addresses of Sayeed, Afzal and Gunaseelan in December 2022.

All were arrested for conspiring to supply controlled substances and money laundering, with cocaine, cannabis and cash seized.

Sayeed, Afzal and Gunaseelan admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs.

At Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday 6 September, Sayeed was jailed for seven years and six months, Afzal for five years and seven months and Gunaseelan for five years and two months.

Violence and exploitation

Detective Inspector Frazer Low said:

“Sayeed didn’t take the warning after his brother faced a significant prison sentence for similar activity, instead thinking he could succeed where he had failed.
“He and his associates were proven completely wrong.
“Drug dealing fuels violence and exploitation, so any criminal bringing these substances into our county can expect to be quickly identified by my team or any number of other specialist teams within the force.
“We work to build concrete cases against those involved in these drug lines, from the top down.
“These are significant custodial sentences which reflect the level of criminality this group were involved in.”

Are you worried that a friend or someone you know may be being exploited through County Lines or organised criminal activity?

Maybe they are returning home late, staying out all night or even going missing for days or weeks at a time.

Are they suddenly being secretive about who they are talking to or where they are going?

Or perhaps you’ve noticed they have large amounts of money on them, or new clothing, jewellery or phones they wouldn’t be able to afford.

Through Fearless, young people can pass on information 100% anonymously to get help.

If you need help from police, call 101 or, if it's an emergency, always call 999.

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