Jailed dealers linked to several shootings in Leeds, police say

Damien Ali, his father Hamid Ali, along with Jordan Staten, Jason Pallas and John Collett were all given lengthy jail sentences at Leeds Crown Court. The gang was toppled after a £1 million in cash and drugs were found at a house in Beeston, which triggered a painstaking investigation by officers.

Speaking after the sentencings, Detective Inspector Michael Herbert, who heads Leeds District Programme Precision Team, said: “Damien Ali has played a very significant role in the organised supply of Class A drugs in Leeds for some time and is responsible for a large amount of the serious harm that this illicit trade creates in our communities.

“His drug dealing activities have been linked to a number of violent incidents in south Leeds, including where firearms have been discharged, which illustrates the wider dangers that it brings.

“The huge amounts of money that have been uncovered during our investigations show just how much people like him profit from the human misery that Class A drugs bring to individual users, their families and to local communities where they fuel crime and anti-social behaviour.

“We will be continuing to proactively target individuals like him, and we hope the significant sentences he and his associates have received will provide some reassurance to our communities.”