Friday, August 21, 2009 LONDON: Four British Bangladeshi men have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in the supply of class A drugs in Slough, Berkshire, England. They were among 36 people charged with drugs offences after one of the largest pre-planned intelligence-led drugs operations held by Thames Valley Police. The members of a London-based gang, known as the 'Naz Network', were jailed for their involvement in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine in the town using a network of hire cars. They were sentenced in Reading Crown Court on Aug 12. Code-named Operation Chester, the crackdown included a series of drugs raids at homes in Slough in July 2008, aimed at disrupting suspected major drugs networks operating in the area. Of the four British Bangladeshis sentenced in the case, Tauseef Ahmed, 24, of Spackmans Way, Chalvey, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Akik Miah, 25, of Duckett Street, London, was jailed for five-and-a-half years for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Mohammed Miah, 25, of Ben Johnson Road, London, was jailed for three years and Qamarun Noor Ali, 20, of Halley Street, London, was jailed for two years for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Qanarun also received three months for possession with intent to supply cannabis, to be served concurrently. A fifth, Nurul Miah, 26, of Brunton Place, London, will be sentenced at a later date.
Sunday, February 28, 2010 HAVANA: Hundreds of wealthy merchants and cigar aficionados from all parts of the world gathered in Havana this week to bid high stakes for humidors full of premium cigars. Cuba's annual Habanos festival ended on Friday night with an auction of ornate humidors of cedar and mahogany stacked with hand-rolled stogies that raised 800,000 euros ($1.09 million dollars). Habanos S.A. executives this month said cigar sales fell 8 percent to $360 million in 2009, so they have created the Julieta, a smaller, milder version of the Romeo y Julieta cigar, aimed specifically at female smokers. Women now make up only 5 to 10 percent of customers for Habanos. But even with the creation of the Julieta, Garcia said Habanos has only modest hopes for 2010 sales, due largely to a weak economy in Spain, the biggest market for Cuban cigars. The flavor of premium tobacco relies on the soil and climate in which it is grown. The western province of Pinar Del Rio, famous fo...
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