Drugs gang’s appeal bid thrown out

TWO members of a drugs cartel have failed in an Appeal Court bid to clear their names.


Majid Khan, the leader of the main plot in Middlesbrough, was jailed for 15 years and Bashir’s cousin, Asad Mahmood (40), of Wheeldale, Greenacres, received nine years, after both were found guilty of conspiracy to supply the drug.

Khan (30), of Marton Road, Middlesbrough, was also found guilty of conspiracy to supply cannabis, for which he received a consecutive sentence of 18 months — making a total jail term of 16 and a half years.

The pair were associates of cCrime boss Imran Bashir (39), who organised heroin supply in the North-East from his cell at HMP Manchester, where he was serving 14 years for plotting to smuggle heroin into the UK.

Khan and Mahmood challenged their “unsafe” convictions at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, but their appeal was thrown out by three of the country’s most senior judges.

Lord Justice Fulford said between January 2011, and June 2012, Khan, Mahmood and others were involved in a plot orchestrated by Bashir to flood the Teesside area with heroin.

Following their investigation, police smashed the drugs ring and seized 3kg of heroin — worth about £300,000 — and 1kg of cannabis, on Teesside. After admitting his part in the plot, Bashir was given an additional seven years to a sentence he was already serving.

Lawyers for Khan and Mahmood argued the trial judge was wrong to allow recordings of Bashir’s telephone calls from prison to be heard by the jury. Lord Justice Fulford said there had been no breach of regulations so the recordings could be used.