Nine jailed for drugs offences

Austin Kennedy

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Seven men and one woman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and were convicted to a total of 18 years in prison. Another man was convicted of money laundering.

• Austin Kennedy (06/10/1976) of Evesham Road, Middleton got 43 months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
• Yasser Mushtaq (09/07/1980) of Newbold Hall Drive, Rochdale got 32 months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
• Terina Kennedy (17/04/1972) of Abbey Crescent, Heywood got 18 months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
• Jordan Kennedy (05/03/1993) of Abbey Crescent, Heywood got two years for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
• Dillan Kennedy (10/10/1994) of Abbey Crescent, Heywood got two years for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
• Ben Donovan (25/12/1988) of Marlborough Street, Heywood got 22 months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
• James Neil (05/03/1980) of Cedar Avenue, Heywood got 20 months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
• Jamie Wood (14/05/1989) of Argyle Street, Heywood got 23 months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
• Amar Ajmal (11/03/1979) of Marland Hill Road, Rochdale got 12 months for money laundering

On Friday 3 October 2014, officers noticed Dillan Kennedy driving an off-road motorbike with no helmet or registration in the Heywood area and approached him before he sped off.

When police caught up with him and restrained him, he was seen to throw a package to his brother, Jordan Kennedy, who was approaching. The package was seized and found to contain eight wraps of cannabis and £1,000 in cash.

On 30 October 2014, warrants were executed at addresses in Middleton and Heywood linked to Austin Kennedy, Terina Kennedy and Maureen Neil.

Cannabis and drugs paraphernalia was seized with street value of £60,000 alongside approximately £4,000 in cash. A mobile phone with contact names and numbers of those involved in the supply of drugs was also retrieved. Emails were also recovered showing drugs were being imported from Ireland.

In total, officers estimate a total of £61,000 worth of cannabis was recovered.

The investigation led to officers stopping Mushtaq and Ajmal on 22 December 2014. They were arrested after both were found in a car with a bag of over £60,000. A further search of Ajmal’s address found a quantity of cannabis.

Detective Constable John Conroy said: “This was very much a family business with Austin Kennedy being brother to Terina and James Neil. Jordan and Dillan Kennedy are also the sons of Terina.

“There is evidence that the drugs were imported from Ireland via ferry crossings.

“Thankfully, these drugs never made it onto the street and they have been destroyed.

"Greater Manchester Police is dedicated to tackling drug supply in the community but we always need the help of local residents. I would ask anyone who may know where drugs are being supplied or produced to call us as soon as possible.”