An individual serving a prison sentence escaped from an open facility on Christmas Day and is currently being pursued by Thames Valley Police. The escapee, identified as Mahad Elmi, was involved in orchestrating a county lines drug distribution network. Elmi, 27, absconded from HMP Springhill in Buckinghamshire and is connected to South West London; however, authorities advise against approaching him.
The Mirror has uncovered that Elmi, along with his brother Amin, received an eight-year prison sentence in 2019 for peddling heroin and crack cocaine in Cardiff. The siblings operated a drug enterprise in the city and even had business cards for their clientele. Law enforcement uncovered their exploitation of a 17-year-old to aid in their drug trafficking operations, resulting in a significant seizure of narcotics during a police raid in Cardiff’s Roath area.
The Elmi brothers, along with the underage accomplice, were apprehended during the raid, which led to the confiscation of cash, drugs, and related paraphernalia. They were charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, and cannabis. Mahad Elmi, 20, pleaded guilty, while Amin Elmi, 19, was convicted after a trial at Swansea Crown Court, receiving respective prison sentences of eight and six years.
In the period up to March 2025, 57 prisoners have escaped from English and Welsh prisons, marking a decline from 143 absconders in 2020. Thames Valley Police described Elmi as a 5ft 8ins tall black man with a medium build, medium-length black hair, a beard, and brown eyes, emphasizing his ties to south-west London.
Detective Sergeant Matthew French of Buckinghamshire’s Priority Crime Team urged the public to assist in locating Mahad Elmi, emphasizing not to approach him if spotted and to contact emergency services instead. Anyone with information on Elmi’s whereabouts is encouraged to report to the police using reference number 43250653119.
