WIREDGOV

Two members of an organised crime group who smuggled “high purity” heroin into the UK hidden in industrial meat mincing machines and clothing items sent over from Pakistan have each been jailed for 18 years.

Asghar Khan, 48, and Rashad Mahmood, 52, both from Walsall, but born in Pakistan, were recently (Friday 14 December) sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.

Khan (left) and Mahmood (right)

The pair imported heroin into the UK from Pakistan using a legitimate cargo company which sent the parcels by air freight.

Border Force officers discovered 20 kilos of heroin hidden in three separate consignments which forensic examinations revealed was 62% pure.

This is more than double the usual street purity of the drug found in the UK - and had a potential street value of more than £2.5 million.

NCA officers uncovered the sophisticated scheme by Mahmood and Khan to import large quantities of high-purity heroin during between September 2014 to April 2015 in which at least four consignments were sent to the UK. 

Two of the drugs consignments were intercepted at Birmingham airport.

On opening the parcels in the cargo area Border Force officers discovered heroin in a number of hidden sewn-in compartments along with items of women`s clothing.

The last consignment came by freight into Manchester airport as part of a consolidated load.

Border Force officers examined the consignment and found positive indications of heroin inside the packages which contained large industrial meat mincing machines.

Investigators found a series of welded metal blocks within the motors of the machines containing the heroin.

After linking the consignments of drugs from both airports, NCA officers began an investigation.

Khan was first arrested in 2014 after attempting to collect the second consignment and was arrested again, along with Mahmood, in April 2016 on suspicion of conspiracy to import controlled drugs.

Dawn Cartwright, NCA Operations Manager, recently said:

“Mahmood and Khan were convicted after overwhelming evidence against them and both played a leading role in the importation of at least four consignments.

“We have punched a major hole in this OCG in what Her Honour Judge Henderson called "an exemplary investigation". 

“Drugs fuel further crime, exploitation and violence. Working with our partners we will make sure drug dealers are stopped and punished.”