Reason ex drug seller who was final to see Jay Slater was often known as ‘Whispers’

A convicted drug dealer named Ayub Qassim, also known as ‘Whispers’, was one of the last people to see Jay Slater before he disappeared in Tenerife. The 19 year old was invited back to an Airbnb near the secluded village of Masca in the early morning hours of June 17.

According to Qassim, the teen arrived and left the property safe and sound the following morning – and was even deemed ‘irrelevant’ by Spanish authorities in their ongoing search for the missing lad. Offering an insight into his criminal past, one of his former associates has now revealed her surprise over the role he has played in the search for Jay, and even shared that the former drug dealer was better known as ‘Whispers’ by his accomplices due to his soft-spoken nature.

Rhoda Singh, a 59 year old woman who had previously found herself in court on drugs charges alongside Qassim, was taken aback upon learning that ‘Whispers’, now 31 years of age, played such a crucial role in the search for Jay. Qassim, who also goes by the name ‘Johnny Vegas’, appeared in court nine years ago with Rhoda, who hails from Cardiff.

Rhoda admitted: “I knew him as Whispers but it’s definitely the same person – I should know we were in court together. We’ve lost touch over the last couple of years but Whispers is a quiet, polite and gentle fella, he’s not a murderer or anything like that.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.

“He wouldn’t hurt a fly. They called him Whispers because of his quiet soft voice.”

In 2015, Qassim was sentenced to prison as the head of a London-based gang who dealt heroin and crack cocaine in Cardiff. Rhoda continues to reside in the two-bedroom terraced house in Split, Cardiff, which was stormed by 30 police officers in October 2014.

Qassim landed a nine-year sentence, but heroin addict Rhoda looked to be in the clear as she received only a suspended sentence for allowing her home to be utilised by the London-based drug mob. She confessed: “The judge took a liking to me and realised I was quite innocent of what was going on.”

She mentioned that Whispers and his crew were just around the corner, and they just happened to be at her place when events transpired. “Whispers and his gang were based around the corner from me – I know it sounds unlikely but they just happened to be in my house at the time. I first met Whispers while clubbing with friends in London, then we saw each other again when he came to Cardiff.”

As per Rhoda, his gang never operated from her place, though police had noted their coming and going from her house. Before she knew it, her front door lay in ruins, heavily damaged from being kicked down.

Rhoda has managed to stay clean since receiving a Drug Rehabilitation Order during her Crown Court appearance in Cardiff. On top of contending with lung cancer, she has dwindled to a frail five-and-a-half stone.

Speaking about past encounters, Rhoda revealed: “I haven’t heard from Whispers for a few years. He used to ring me from prison to make sure I was OK.”

However, she believes he regretted involving her in his dodgy operations. “I think he felt bad that I got caught up in what was going on in his life. I was on heroin for 20 years but I wasn’t involved in dealing or anything.”

She commented, adding, “I didn’t know he was in Tenerife or that he is now nicknamed Johnny Vegas, he will always be Whispers to me.”

Despite all efforts, Jay who hails from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, remains missing over three weeks after his initial disappearance on the Spanish island. Spanish law enforcement officials eventually called off their ground search on June 30 after two exhaustive weeks of scouring the vast mountainous landscape.

Yesterday (July 9), the authorities maintained that they’re still chasing up multiple leads in the case. A source close to the investigation was adamant that the idea of Jay being ‘missing feared dead’ isn’t the current working theory.

When quizzed about whether the police had a better grip on what’s happened to Jay, a spokesperson for the Civil Guard stated: “The investigation is ongoing and several lines of inquiry are being pursued.”

Today, a fresh probe by our sister site the Express has unearthed a connection between Jay’s disappearance and the cannabis club scene in Tenerife, with fingers pointing at Qassim. Qassim is said to be mates with Jamel Bousbaa, a British rapper known as Potter Payper, who’s got his own weed joint on the island named Potter’s Garden.

Rumours are swirling that Qassim jetted off to Tenerife to manage Bousbaa’s drug gig. The Sun has a source spilling the beans that ‘once Potter opened up the cannabis cafe in Tenerife he decided that Ayub was the guy to run it’.

They spilled further: “Ayub is one of Potter’s main guys. They go way back and were friends back in London.”

Qassim has since returned back to London from Tenerife. The Express grilled Potter Payper on how he’s running a club when it’s against the law for them to operate as businesses or for non-locals to own them, but so far his lips are sealed.

They also prodded him about why Potter’s Garden is missing from the official list of legit cannabis clubs. Again, no word back from him.

Bousbaa was also probed about his relationship with Qassim and the existence of numerous photos of them together. However, he remained silent.