15 in court over £860k drug haul

Fifteen people charged with offences relating to an £860,000 drug haul appeared before Oldham magistrates yesterday.

They will next appear at Manchester Crown Court, on May 22.

Their arrest follows a police operation sparked by community concern over drugs in Coldhurst, Werneth and Busk, Chadderton.

The arrests centred on the alleged import of heroin and crack cocaine to Oldham and Burnley by post from Pakistan.

The court was told 2.5 kilos of class-A drugs were seized in Oldham and a further 1.5kilos were taken from properties in Burnley.

Friends and family packed out the public gallery and extra officers were stationed in court.

Abu Bakar (26), of Cotton Mill Crescent, Werneth, was charged with conspiracy to import drugs with others in both Oldham and Burnley and was remanded in custody until later this month.

Dilmah Hussain (19), of Firdale Walk, Oldham, is charged with conspiracy to import drugs.

Mohammed Hakim (20) of Links Way, Oldham, is charged with conspiracy to import and supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Sabbiar Ramen (19), of Hythe Walk, Chadderton, is charged with conspiracy to import class-A drugs and three counts of supply. Kameron Khan (19), of Laxey Close, Chadderton, is charged with intent to supply heroin and Fazal Mir (19), of Hawthorn Road, Hollinwood, is charged with conspiracy to import.

All were remanded in custody until their next court appearance.

Lesley Ball (22) of Higher House Close, Chadderton is charged with possession of a quantity of crack cocaine and was granted conditional bail.

Abidur Ramen (42) and Zinath Aktar (30), both of Maygate, Oldham, are charged with conspiracy to import class-A drugs and were granted conditional bail.

A 17-year-old male who cannot be named was charged with possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to supply.

Rahul Rashid Choudary (24), of Davies Street, Oldham, did not appear in court yesterday but will also be remanded in custody facing charges of conspiracy to import and supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Mohammed Sajid Khan (33), of Colne Road, Behazal Ali (28), of Leyland Road, Moazam Ali (26) of Belverdere Road, and Tahir Shah (33) of Thurston Street, all Burnley, also appeared in court facing charges of conspiracy to import and supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Two other people arrested yesterday did not appear in court and were released pending further investigations.