Gangland London: West London Drugs Ring Caught After Posing for Selfies with Cannabis and Cash

A west London drugs gang face prison sentences after members bragged about their cannabis operation by posing for selfies with the drug and huge wads of cash.

Dealer Sophian Chhayra, 24, smiled as he was pictured cradling an enormous bag of the Class-B drug and thousands of pounds in £50 notes.

Gang member Zakaria Chentouf, also 24, posed with a mountain of cash from the proceeds of selling drugs across Kensington and Chelsea.

Five men in total admitted to drugs charges in September, after police busted the drug ring in May during a crackdown on gang-related youth violence and drug dealing.

Chhayra and Chentouf, as well as Ahmed Mahomud and Fouad Soussi, both 20, admitted conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, while Yousif Mahomud, 19, admitted to being concerned in the supply of Class-B drugs at Isleworth Crown Court. They will be sentenced today (24 October).

Four men were previously sentenced at the same court on 12 September in relation to the operation. They are Liam Hodge, 23, of Notting Hill; Dominic Joseph and Paul Hewitt, both 22, from Westminster; and Jahmal Medor-Daley, 20, of Westminster.

The operation to tackle the gang – codenamed Capulet – was launched in December 2013 after a spate of violence in the area.

It was soon established the attacks were linked to a ring of perpertrators and, using knowledge from the local community, officers launched 18 dawn raids in May that included the homes of the five men.

Large quantities of Class A and B drugs and cash money were seized along with mobile phones.

Detective Constable Helen Lomas said: "These convictions are a real win for the communities of Kensington and Chelsea and its residents who have been blighted by the intolerable annoyance of this gang.

"This investigation overcame some major hurdles, particularly because there was a continued wall of silence and nobody willing to come forward and speak to police about the spate of linked violence earlier this year. By securing the best evidence available with the help of the community, we have been able to bring this gang to justice.

"These individuals used their mobile phone cameras to gloat about their success in illegal trade – this pride helped secure their undoing, and these photos provided compelling evidence at court."