HM REVENUE AND
CUSTOMS News Release (NAT 48/07) issued by The Government News
Network on 18 July 2007
A hearing at the
Appeal Court today maintained the convictions obtained by HM
Customs & Excise (now part of HM Revenue & Customs) in a
number of Pakistan heroin smuggling cases.
The Appeal Court rejected appeals in the case of four Customs
operations and upheld convictions against seven individuals. These
cases involved Customs officers working with local informants to
stem the flow in heroin smuggled from Pakistan in the mid 1990s.
Roy Clark, Director of Criminal Investigations, said:
"We are pleased with the court's decision to uphold
these convictions as each case represented a serious threat to
smuggle heroin into the UK. Our Custom officers are a very
professional team, dedicated to combating the illegal trade in
harmful drugs and playing their part in preventing other
associated crimes and violence."
In all a total of 11 convictions were referred to the Appeal
Court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). HMRC
conceded the appeals in three of these cases and lost the
remaining appeal.
Notes for editors
Details of the Operations and convictions that were upheld
1. OP. RAINMAN - Trial in 1991 for smuggling 12Kgs of
heroin
* Michael Vernon Showers from Liverpool was jailed for
20 years and
* ordered to pay a £55,000 confiscation
order
* Mohammed Sabir was jailed for 17 years.
* Baktiar
Ahmed was jailed for 12 years.
2. OP. JACINTH - Trial in 1992 for smuggling 5Kgs heroin
*
Mohammed Akram Beg from Bury pleaded guilty and was jailed for six years.
3. OP. FLEUR DE LYS - Trial in 1994 for smuggling 5kgs of
heroin
* John Ryan from Bootle was jailed for seven
years.
* Mohammed Kurshid Khan from Bootle fled to Pakistan
during the trial while on bail and was recaptured on his return to
the UK in 2004. Khan was jailed for 14 years in absentia. He is
still in prison.
4. OP. OCTEROON - Trial in 1995 for smuggling 3.8kgs of
heroin
* Mumatz Ahmed from High Wycombe pleaded guilty and was
jailed for nine years.
Details of the appeals conceded
1. OP. PASTIE - Trial in 1994 for smuggling 4Kgs of heroin
*
Nisar Ahmed from London was jailed for ten years.
* Rizwan
Ahmed from London was jailed for ten years.
2. OP. DIRE - Trial in 1992 for smuggling 12Kgs of heroin
*
Mohammed Ramzan from Islamabad, Pakistan. Was jailed for 14 years.
Details of the appeal lost
1. OP. NOTORIOUS - Trial in 1996 for smuggling 5Kgs of
heroin
* Omar Masud from London was jailed for 13 years
Issued by HM Revenue and Customs Media Relations
Website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk
Customs Confidential Hotline
Tel: 0800 59 5000