Colchester dealer held drugs phone 'in exchange for handgun'

Hazan Ajimobi, 24, agreed to hold and operate a drugs line phone running Class A drugs from London into Essex.

Ipswich Crown Court heard police identified a telephone number being used to supply crack cocaine and heroin in Colchester.

The name associated with the line, ‘Real Max’, was attributed to the defendant and messages sent out to users between September and December last year.

The court heard bulk advertising messages were sent out to 40 recipients, with some messages asking: “Does anyone want work?”.

Through the phone the police traced Ajimobi to his home address in Cann Hall Road, London.

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During a search of his home on December 21, police seized a black metal safe containing a small handgun loaded with .22 calibre rounds.

Officers also found a small lockbox inside a bedside table containing 50 rounds of ammunition.

Also uncovered were the drugs line phone, £6,000 in cash, a metal knuckleduster and a small amount of cannabis.

Inside a combination lockbox, police found a quantity of crack cocaine and heroin.

Ajimobi admitted two counts of possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition and possession of a Class B drug.

Charles Drinnan, mitigating, said his client committed the offences to “satiate an unhealthy interest in firearms”.

“The reason why he got into this enterprise was to pay for this firearm, to be used in recreational target practice,” he said.

“He agrees to work for ‘Max’ and hold and operate the ‘Max’ line wholly on his instruction.”

Mr Drinnan said Ajimobi was paid £50 per day and worked to reduce his debt for purchasing the handgun.

He said his client “holds his head high in remorse”, adding: “He is an educated man, someone who has made an incredibly naïve, stupid and immature decision.

“It beggars belief that he, as a result of his stupidity, thought it was a good way to purchase an item he shouldn’t have been purchasing in the first place.”

Hazan Ajimobi

Recorder Richard Atchley sentenced Ajimobi to five years imprisonment.

He said: “My real concern, as I’ve said to counsel already, is that you go to work for a drug dealer in a county lines situation in order to purchase from a drug dealer not just a handgun, but a handgun and ammunition.

“You can see what any member of the public would think about that, I’m sure.

“You’re an intelligent young man and I struggle to see what you were doing here, as do your family.

“You have some minor previous convictions, including one for possessing an offensive weapon, but I don’t hold those against you, they were some time ago and were in a very different category to these.”

He added: “These are very serious offences involving the supply of Class A drugs, possession of a firearm and ammunition – a serious combination of county line drug dealing and the firearm.

“I take the view there is also a necessary deterrent factor in this case. People can’t be seen to be drug dealing and in possession of firearms.”

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