Drug dealers ordered to pay back ill-gotten gains

Convicted drug dealers from Rochdale have been forced to pay back nearly £70,000 of their criminal gains.

Earlier this year, Greater Manchester Police smashed a drug-dealing network in Rochdale and, following a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Bolton Crown Court, the judge ordered they repay their ill-gotten gains.

On 23 July 2009, Imran Hussain (born 30/04/1982) of Cutgate Road, Rochdale, was jailed for six-and-a-half years and Zahied Aslam (born 10/01/1983), of Bury Road, Rochdale, was sentenced to six years in prison.

Hussain will have to repay £19,567 and Aslam £17,064. The judge also forfeited three cars and electrical goods worth £33,000.

Sabeena Shaffi (born 08/09/1985) of Cutgate Road, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to money laundering at an earlier hearing and received a six-month sentence, suspended for 12 months. She will have to repay £251.

Anjum Farooq (born 12/12/1980) of Crown Street, Rochdale was jailed for four years.

The conspiracy stretched over a four-year period and involved arranging tens of thousands of drug deals through a mobile phone network.

During the course of the police investigation, it became evident Hussain and his wife Shaffi had a lavish lifestyle and enjoyed spending cash.

Detective Sergeant Jared Sudworth of the Rochdale Drugs and Money Laundering Unit said: "I hope this result serves as a warning to other dealers and also as reassurance to the community that we will not allow criminals to profit at the expense of others.

"People who profit by manipulating and feeding the addictions of drug users do not care about the damage they are inflicting, they do not care that drug users frequently turn to a life of crime to pay for their habits and in doing so create fear among their victims, all they care about is lining their own pockets.

"Hussain was the hub of this conspiracy and together with his cohorts his drug-trafficking network enabled them to pocket serious sums of money, leading a lavish lifestyle far beyond his visible means of income.

"By seizing this cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act legislation, we have sent a powerful message that not only we will smash drug-dealing networks, but we will also seize convicted criminals ill-gotten gains so they have nothing to show for their illegal enterprise."

Anyone with any concerns about people making money illegally should contact their local neighbourhood policing team. Details of the team can be found at www.gmp.police.uk or by calling 0161 872 5050.