Rochdale drugs gang jailed

Date published: 05 December 2018

Police seized 13 kilos of Class A drugs and more than £100,000 in cash from a Rochdale-based drugs gang who ferried narcotics across the region.

Today, 5 December 2018, at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester the final members of the group were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy that supplied heroin and cocaine across the North West and Midlands.

Just hours after being released from prison on licence in June 2017 – after being jailed for possession with intent to supply heroin – kingpin of the conspiracy, Mohammed Fazal, activated mobile phones that over the next 10 months until April 2018 would be used to organise drugs delivery, receipt and payments.

But his plot unravelled following Operation Gamber – an investigation led by GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group unit that pieced together the conspiracy via surveillance and examination of phone records.

Tariq Hussain was a key member of the gang. He acted as a distributor and in September 2017 a quarter kilo of cocaine and £19,000 was seized from his home address on Hector Avenue, Rochdale.

Others in the conspiracy were also caught with large amounts of drugs and cash.

Distributor, Mohammed Hoque, directed the activities of Samirul Choudhury and Ashraful Chowdhury, who were found with one kilo of cocaine and four kilos of heroin respectively.

When arrested, Hoque was found in possession of two encrypted mobile phones.

The gang utilised contacts in other areas of the country to move and supply drugs.

Over the period of the conspiracy cocaine and heroin were supplied between Mohammed Fazal’s organised crime gang and Zain Ahmed in Halifax.

In December 2017 police searched a house in Rochdale and discovered half a kilo of cocaine as well as heroin. Zain Ahmed’s fingerprints were found on discarded packaging inside the property.

Elsewhere, Raja Mobeen Khan was responsible for supply to the West Midlands. On three occasions he handed money to women who travelled to Audley, Stoke-on-Trent, resulting in police recovering just under £27,000 in February 2018.

Raja Mobeen Khan’s partner, Anneesa Ahmed, was also involved, acting under his direction as courier.

Hafiz Ullah acted as the Lancashire connection. He was responsible for collection and transportation of large quantities of heroin from Rochdale to Nelson, Lancashire.

Further down the chain were the likes of Simon Worrall, who stored drugs at his home address on Milnrow Road, Rochdale.

Also part of the conspiracy was Mudassar Khan, who rented commercial storage units on the gang’s behalf and was seen on surveillance leaving drugs at Worrall’s address – hours before 4 kilos of heroin and cocaine were recovered by the police from the premises.

Detective Inspector Lee Griffin from GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group said: “Just hours after his release on license, Fazal decided to continue a life of crime.

“But despite his and his co-conspirators attempts to avoid detection, our officers were soon uncovering significant quantities of drugs and cash that led to his gang’s downfall.

“This was a wide-ranging and complex investigation, but thanks to the diligence and professionalism of our specialist officers we have managed to bring down an elaborate drugs conspiracy.

“Drugs blight communities and ruin lives. These prosecutions send a strong message that we will not tolerate criminals attempting to profit from illegality.”

Mohammed Fazal (10/05/1986) of Oswald Street, Rochdale pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs, namely heroin and cocaine and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

 

 

Tariq Hussain (12/01/1995) of Hector Avenue, Rochdale pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs, namely heroin and cocaine and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

 

 

Mohammed Hoque (22/12/1996) of Stanneybrook Close, Rochdale pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs, namely heroin and cocaine and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

 

 

Mohammed Abu Khan (01/04/1991) of Eclipse Close, Rochdale pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs, namely heroin and cocaine and was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.

 

 

Mudassar Khan (10/10/1987) of Martin Lane, Rochdale pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to supply heroin. He will be sentenced on 13 December 2018.

 

 

Zain Ahmed (27/10/1994) of Newstead Terrace, Halifax, West Yorkshire pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs, namely heroin and cocaine and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

 

 

Raja Mobeen Khan (19/06/1991) of Trafalgar Street, Rochdale pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs, namely cocaine and was sentenced to ten years in prison.

 

 

Hafiz Ullah (01/02/1984) of Manchester Road, Nelson, Lancashire pleaded guilty to 2 counts of conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs, namely Heroin and Cocaine and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

 

 

Nasir Ali (27/07/1980) of Railway Street, Burnley, Lancashire pleaded guilty to Possession of Class A controlled drugs with intent to supply and Supply Class A controlled drugs, namely Heroin and was sentenced to three years in prison.

 

 

Samirul Choudhury (07/06/1989) of Entwistle Road, Rochdale pleaded guilty to possession of a Class A drug namely cocaine with intent to supply and was sentenced to four years in prison.

 

Aftar Khan (19/05/1988) of Turners Place, Whitworth Road, Rochdale pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug of Class A with intent to supply and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

 

Adeel Faraz (13/05/1990) of Reservoir Street, Rochdale pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug of Class A with intent to supply and was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison.

 

Paul Keeting (16/04/1971) of High Street, Heywood pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug of Class A with intent to supply and was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison.

 

Aneesa Ahmed (28/11/95) of Price Street, Stoke On Trent pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and was sentenced to 28 months in prison.

 

Simon Worrall (13/01/1985) of Milnrow Road, Rochdale pleaded guilty to two offences of possession of a controlled drug of class a with intent to supply and was sentenced to five years and two months in prison.

 

Ashraful Chowdhury (09/06/1996) of Cedar Bank Close, Rochdale pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug of Class A with intent to supply and received a sentence of five years in prison.