Sheffield drug dealer caught with loaded gun during police raid

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 21 how police raided Mohamed Suleiman’s home on Sydney Road, Crookesmoor, Sheffield, and found MDMA ecstasy drugs and a bag with a loaded automatic pistol inside.

Nicoleta Alistari, prosecuting, said police searched Suleiman’s flat with a warrant and a bag was found with an automatic handgun loaded with ammunition, and 124 grammes of MDMA drugs were also found in a carrier bag.

Ms Alistari added that Suleiman was in bed at the time of the raid on October 25 and another man, Adam Doyle, who was found on a sofa admitted that over one kilogramme of cannabis which was also found belonged to him.

Suleiman, aged 34, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm, to possessing ammunition without a certificate and to possessing class drugs MDMA with intent to supply.

Doyle, aged 30, of Seabrook Road, Park Hill, Sheffield, who also has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Judge Graham Reeds QC told Suleiman that he would bear in mind that the firearm and ammunition were being stored for someone else.

But Judge Reeds added that he regarded Suleiman as a committed drug-dealer who was looking after a firearm for someone further up the drug-dealing chain.

He added that such weapons can be used to kill, maim and intimidate people in the drug business.

Judge Reeds said: “This was a particularly dangerous firearm loaded and ready for unlawful use and was ready for another person also in the business of drug-dealing.”

He told Suleiman: “You are a committed drug-dealer who knows what firearms are used for in that business.”

Judge Reeds sentenced Suleiman to eight-years of custody.

Judge Reeds also told Doyle he is a drug-user who had graduated into street-dealing cannabis and he had no doubt the cannabis in his possession was for street-dealing.

Doyle was sentenced to 58 weeks of custody.