Taxi drivers’ vital role in drug deal

AN UNCLE and nephew from Oldham played a crucial role in setting up a major drugs deal, a court has been told.

The two private hire drivers were involved in buying 3kg of heroin, which when cut down, could have been worth more than £300,000 on the street.

Yasir Mahmood (25), from Brompton Street, Oldham, and his nephew Javid Iqbal, were both part of a network of couriers and middlemen who acted on the instructions of father and son partners Fazal and Faisal Hussain who ran the huge drug supply business, Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court has been told.

The Hussains have pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, as has Iqbal and another man involved in the criminal enterprise.

Five other men and one woman alleged to have been part of the racket, are on trial having pleaded not guilty to any involvement.

David Pickup prosecuting, told a jury that the Hussains’ drugs empire crumbled after a lengthy police investigation named Operation Liffey in which members of the gang were secretly filmed while going about their work.

The court was told that Fazal Hussain — the “godfather” at the top of the chain — and his son, never made direct contact with those who collected, delivered or paid for drugs, but worked through intermediaries.

It is alleged that Yasir Mahmood was acting on Faisal Hussain’s instructions when he contracted his nephew Javid Iqbal and another man, Michael West, to drive to Birmingham on August 3, 2009, to collect the 3kg haul of heroin.

The court was told the pair travelled in Iqbal’s silver Honda car, and analysis of calls made by mobile phones on the day, showed constant contact between Hussain and Mahmood, and then between Mahmood and Iqbal who he was instructing.

The court was told that strenuous efforts were made to avoid detection on arrival, with the pair moving location several times before meeting with suppliers.

They were kept under constant observation however, and after the collection, Iqbal’s car was traced being driven back north along the M6, and was eventually stopped by police in Hollins Road, Oldham.

The court was told that the heroin was found in a number of thick plastic wallets, held in open A4 size envelopes, contained in a plastic carrier bag.

West (21), of Gordon Avenue, Clarksfield, told officers the bag belonged to the driver, Iqbal. Iqbal insisted at the time that he knew nothing about the bag, and had simply been asked to pick up his passenger and take him to Birmingham.

Mr Pickup said it was clear that the role of Yasir Mahmood in particular, was crucial.

He made 78 calls to Faisal Hussain on his mobile phone on the day, and called his nephew Iqbal 64 times.

Michael West and Yasir Mahmood plead not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, as does Ali Shan (32), of Gainsborough Avenue, Oldham,

Afraq Ahmed (31), of Grendon Avenue, Oldham, and Mehreen Khalid (21), of Bredbury, and Habib Rehman (36), of Slough, plead not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to supply cannabis.

(Proceeding)