Portsmouth heroin and cocaine dealer is jailed for eight years after exploiting vulnerable people including 'downtrodden' teenage girl to peddle drugs

Mushafau Sanusi, 26, manipulated addicts to deal in Portsmouth whilst trying to establish a ‘new line’ in Salisbury.

Sanusi, who was jailed in 2017 for three years for dealing heroin and cocaine, was on licence when he was busted by police on June 17, 2019, dealing the same drugs.

On that occasion, Sanusi was caught by officers with one of his runners, addict Matthew Hamilton, 33.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard how Hamilton was spotted in St Mary’s churchyard, Fratton, meeting drug users where money and Class A drugs were exchanged.

Hamilton was then seen on the phone walking up the street towards Sanusi who was also on his phone before both hung up.

Police then ambushed the men and found seven wraps of cocaine and three wraps of heroin on Hamilton while Sanusi was found with £164 cash and two iPhones.

But while Hamilton, of Sandringham Road, Fratton, admitted two charges of supplying Class A drugs, Sanusi denied the offences before he was found guilty by jurors.

Prosecutor Tom Wilkins said ‘incriminating messages’ were found on the phones. ‘Telephone and text messages showed contact between Mr Sanusi and users who were in touch with him,’ he said.

The court also heard how Sanusi, formerly of Kingston Road, Fratton, but whose current address was listed as HMP Bristol, was then caught supplying half a kilogram of heroin and crack cocaine between January 1 and March 10, 2020, in Salisbury.

The defendant was caught with £2,640 cash on that occasion.

Judge William Ashworth told Sanusi: ‘You were running your own small business operation and were running a drugs line in Portsmouth and trying to get one going in Salisbury.

‘You were collecting drugs on trips up north and then returning and stashing them. You would use runners as the primary method of dealing.

‘You were not buying or selling on a commercial level - people above your level were getting them into the country and then supplying to people like yourself.

‘You had substantial links to above but only control on those below you.’

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The judge said the dealing operation produced ‘significant funds’ and pointed to Sanusi’s previous as proof of his intentions to make large sums of money after referring to a picture of the defendant ‘holding a big wedge of cash’ of up to £8,000 in 2015.

Judge Ashworth went on to say how Sanusi ‘used vulnerable people to make money out of’ and even cuckooed an ‘injured downtrodden’ teenage girl to carry out his crimes.

‘Social services were trying to get her away from you. You sent her in to deal drugs and into danger again and again,’ he said.

Sanusi was jailed for eight years for four counts of supplying Class A drugs, two charges of possessing criminal property, possessing a bladed article, and driving while disqualified in Portsmouth - resulting in a five year ban.

Hamilton was handed a one-year community order with 20 rehabilitation days and an eight-week curfew to run from 7pm - 7am.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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