Brothers jailed for seven years for keeping women as drug 'slaves'

Two evil brothers who made £1,000 a day using women as 'slaves' in a drug trafficking racket from a vulnerable victim's home have each been jailed for more than seven years.

Smirking Sulman Khan, 26, and 24-year old sibling Zafran set up base in one woman's house after exploiting her mental health difficulties to ply her with free crack cocaine.

The victim, 47, known as Shelley tried to get herself free from the brothers but was warned she, her pets and her family would be harmed if she failed to cooperate - and was told: 'We control you.'

Two other women including Sulman's girlfriend were also forced to help cook and pack drugs for the gang and act as his chauffeur. The Khans were arrested last June after a raid on their homes following a police operation into their activities.

It emerged the pair had a run a drugs hotline in Rochdale, Greater Manchester which fielded a daily average of 223 calls or text messages over one eight day period and Sulman boasted of having access to machine guns.

Both siblings were on licence having been freed from prison early last year over previous jail terms for drug dealing.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Zafran, from Rochdale and Sulman of Oldham admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine between August last year and June this year. Each were jailed for seven and a half years.

The court heard in April 2018 Sulman had been jailed for three years for supplying heroin and cocaine whilst Zafran had been given 32 months for being concerned in drug supply. Both had other previous convictions including dishonesty and perverting justice.

Sentencing Judge John Potter told them: 'Cuckooing required the remorseless exploitation of Shelley who had mental health difficulties and who was a drug user. You told her she need not pay for those drugs providing she allow you to control and organise your drug dealing activities from her address. You thus exerted control over her life, exploiting her and her home for your own selfish gain.

'Crack cocaine was brought to the house three to four time a week whilst scales bags and other items were stored at the property and the drugs would be bagged up in the kitchen ready for delivery.'

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