Two men have been handed significant jail sentences for their roles in an organised crime group (OCG) which was manufacturing and selling drugs.
Laraib Irshad and Tariq Muneeb, both of Surma Close, Rochdale, appeared at at Leeds Crown Court today (Tuesday, September 3) where they were both sentenced for drug charges.
The pair were members of the Adam OCG, which was the subject of the BBC television programme The Detectives.
On April 24 last year, a warrant was executed at a property on Millfield Grove, Rochdale, where Irshad, 28, and Muneeb, 32, were found inside manufacturing large amounts of crack cocaine.
The pair attempted to flush the drugs down the toilet of the, however officers were able to recover the drugs.
Materials were seized by police which showed the use of 'flare messages' from mobile phones to advertise the sale of crack cocaine and heroin to a large established network of recipients involved in both distribution and supply.
An investigation resulted in the seizure of £30,000 worth of crack cocaine, £10,500 in cash along with other assets of value such as Sur-ron E-Bikes and vehicles used by Irshad and Muneeb.
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Irshad pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, possession of heroin, and conspiracy to supply cocaine.
However, Muneeb pleaded not guilty to possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine, leading to a three-day trial after which he was found guilty.
Today at Leeds Crown Court, Irshad was sentenced to 22 years and nine months in prison, while Muneeb was jailed for 12 years.
At the time of their arrest, both Irshad and Muneeb were on bail for an investigation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) into large scale importation and supply of class A drugs utilising ‘Encro’ phones.
Irshad was linked to over one tonne of cocaine being imported and distributed nationwide, while Muneeb was linked to the supply of 35 kilograms of cocaine.
Following their guilty verdicts at court in relation to the Adam county line investigation, both Irshad and Muneeb pleaded guilty to their remaining charges in the NCA led investigation.
DI Zoe MacDonald of GMP County Lines Team stated: "This successful operation underscores our commitment to tackling drug-related crime and protecting our communities. Throughout this investigation we have been closely monitoring the activities of the ADAM line and thanks to our officer’s hard work and dedication we have been able to take two people out of the equation.
“Those involved within this illegal operation are dangerous individuals with no remorse for their criminality, they operate to exploit the most vulnerable in our societies and I’m proud to say that our team have been able to take more individuals like this from our communities to face justice for their actions.
“If you are concerned about criminal activity within your area, you can report this to us directly on 101 or by reporting information using our online report tool at www.gmp.police.uk. You can also report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.”
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