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Gangsters who used drill rap videos to lure children into drug dealing network jailedNcube, from Birmingham, enjoyed a lavish lifestyle of Rolex watches and designer clothes as he posed with

bundles of cashNewsAdam Dutton and Jamie Brassington Senior reporter13:00, 04 Jun 2025 A drug dealing gang who used drill rap videos to boast about their wealth and lure children into their

county lines network have been locked up for a total of 130 years. The 12 gangsters flaunted their luxury lifestyle in music videos.

They were seen spraying Dom Perignon from a white Rolls-Royce and bragging about defending their turf with guns.

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The group, including a man from Birmingham, sold millions of pounds of Class A drugs on an "industrial scale" across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, a court

heard. Thirteen drugs lines were later discovered that were connected to the gang - including one as far away as Aberdeen in Scotland.

Article continues belowIn a key arrest, Sipho Ncube from Birmingham was detained after running from the scene of a road crash They flooded towns with heroin and crack cocaine while defending

their turf with knives and guns.

The gang even recruited children to move their drugs and sell it. The gangsters also used bulk phone messaging and sophisticated marketing techniques to advertise their lucrative county

lines network to more than 1,400 customers. Balaclava-clad members posed for photos and professionally choreographed music videos flaunting their gains with expensive cars, watches and

bottles of champagne. Nottinghamshire Police stated that the lyrics and images were designed to recruit young drug dealers. Detectives found children as young as 16 had been hired to

transport and deal drugs by the gang which was headed by headed by Jephte Fikula, 29, and Sipho Ncube, 29, the latter from Birmingham. In order to boost their profits, the group also

produced their own crack cocaine and used bulking agents to increase the weight of the drugs they sold. Some of the group armed themselves with weapons - including blank and live firearms -

to safeguard their enterprise from rivals. Nottinghamshire Police began an investigation after Ncube was caught fleeing from a car crash in September 2022. A mobile phone linked to one of

the gang's drugs line was uncovered and 11 others were arrested following a series of raids. Yesterday on Tuesday, June 3, all 12 were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court by Judge Mark

Watson who jailed them for a combined 130 years. Ncube, of Birmingham, who boasted of earning £20,000 a week from drug dealing and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle of Rolex watches, designer

clothes and posing with bundles of cash was jailed for 15 years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Fikula, who was found with firearms when police raided his home and "revelled in the

reputation and lifestyle drug dealing" was jailed for 21 years for for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life,

possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of ammunition without a certificate. Ramone Campbell, 28, of Nottingham, was jailed for 16 years for

conspiracy to supply class A drugs, possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition, breach of a restraining order. Godpraise Bouwen, 22, of Nottingham was sentenced to 15 years for

conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Kamel Mantock, 28, of Nottingham, was caged for six years and four months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Jaysaniel Grant, 26, of Nottingham was

sentenced to nine years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Tarrell Comrie-Patterson, 28, of Nottingham, was jailed for nine years and 11 months for conspiracy to supply

class A drugs. Amang Kanyi, 25, of Nottingham was handed seven years and 9 months sentence for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Bayleigh Reid, 25, of Nottingham, was sentenced to six

years and nine months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Aiden Farah, 21, of Nottingham was jailed for six years and 11 months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Laquarne Fogo, 20,

of no fixe

d abode, was caged for eight years youth detention for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and possession of a bladed article. Gaiel Landau, 24, of Northampton, was sentenced to eight years

and three months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Detective Inspector Luke Todd, of Nottinghamshire Police, said after the case: “Class A drugs ruin countless lives and the trade in

these substances brings misery to our communities. “That is why we devote so many hours of police work and have specialist teams working on cases like this to disrupt and shut down drug

lines. “I’d like to thank the many officers from multiple teams who worked on this case. “Investigating one drug line can be a complex process but 13 lines have been linked to this group,

which shows the enormous scale of their operation. “Following today’s sentencings, our thoughts are with the gang’s many victims, both the vulnerable people they coerced into selling their

drugs and the unfortunate and desperate addicts who became their customers. “Ultimately, whole communities, both in Nottinghamshire and elsewhere, will benefit from these drug lines being

identified and shut down.” "The public are an extra set of eyes and ears for us in trying to tackle criminal gangs head-on. “The information also allows us to engage with the young people,

which is hugely important in our battle against County Lines. “We know young people in the grip of County Lines criminals regularly use trains, buses and taxis to travel from Nottingham to

other parts of the country to sell drugs. “I would urge people to be vigilant. If you feel like there’s something suspicious about another passenger in your carriage, or you’re concerned

that a young person is travelling on their own, please contact the police. “Always report anything suspicious and trust your instincts – it is key to getting that message about County Lines

out there.”