Mahmood Hussain jailed for 14 years ,Michael Hogan jailed for 10 years

Mahmood Hussain, date of birth 21/09/1976, Buckingham Street, Rochdale - jailed for 14 years
Michael Hogan, 07/07/1961, Sawyer Street, Rochdale - jailed for 10 years
Carl Singleton, 04/03/1975, Great Lee Walk, Rochdale - jailed for 8 years, 6 months, plus 4 months of an unexpired sentence.
Gazanfer Hussain, 11/12/1981, Lightwood Road, Normacott, Stoke-on-Trent - jailed for 6 years
Bilal Moghal, 06/10/1958, Vincent Road, Sheffield - jailed for 6 years
Shaied Iqbal, 04/08/1976, Drummond Road, Aston, Birmingham - jailed for 6 years, 6 months
Mohammed Yousaf, 18/06/1969, Normandy Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham - jailed for 8 years
Ansar Iqbal, 25/05/1977, Selston Road, Aston, Birmingham - jailed for 8 years
Abdul Jangeer Aziz, 06/12/1980, Stockingstone Road, Luton, Bedfordshire - jailed for 5 years, 9 months
Shezad Rehman, 27/06/1980, Meir Road, Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent - jailed for 6 years
Gang was behind large-scale drugs trafficking in Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Birmingham and Bedford. Thirty-nine kilos of heroin, 1.5 kilos of amphetamine and an amount of cocaine were seized during the ten-month probe. Detectives from Staffordshire Police’s Major Crime Unit worked closely with colleagues in Greater Manchester, Bedfordshire and the West Midlands to break the ring. The men were arrested over a period of six months as officers pieced together the syndicate structure and how they operated. This led to a number of separate seizures and arrests. Initial enquires by Staffordshire Police in June 2006 led them to Luton in Bedfordshire where a man was seen to hand over a bag to Abdul Aziz. Following the transaction Bedfordshire Police stopped a taxi. They found five kilos of heroin and arrested Aziz, who was a passenger in the taxi. Greater Manchester Police worked closely with Staffordshire Police to identify that Michael Hogan was actually the courier of the heroin and that he was living in Rochdale. As a result of this work Staffordshire Police were able to observe Hogan in the Walsall area where he met with the occupants of a Peugeot. West Midlands Police stopped the Peugeot and arrested Mohammed Yousaf and Ansar Iqbal who had three kilos of heroin. Having confirmed Hogan’s role as a courier, Staffordshire Police mounted an operation to arrest him. On Saturday 22 July 2006 he was seen receiving a holdall from Shaied Iqbal in the Newtown area of Birmingham. Staffordshire Police stopped and arrested Hogan and found that the holdall contained 10 kilos of heroin. Shaied Iqbal was later arrested for his role in the transaction. The investigation team also focused on the Stoke-on-Trent end of the business controlled by Gazanfer Hussain, of Lightwood Road, Normacott.
Shezad Rehman, of Meir Road, Stoke-on-Trent, who was working for Gazanfer Hussain, was seen to meet the occupant of a Vauxhall Corsa in Bengry Road, Stoke-on-Trent. Following this meeting, Rehman was stopped and arrested by Staffordshire Police who seized one kilo of heroin and several ounces of cocaine. Bilal Moghal was later arrested after being identified as the person who handed the heroin to Rehman.
Further enquiries by Greater Manchester Police and Staffordshire Police identified Mahmood Hussain of Buckingham Street, Rochdale, as a major player in the syndicate and had subsequently recruited Carl Singleton as a courier to replace Hogan. On Thursday 1 November 2006, an operation was undertaken between the two forces which led to Singleton being stopped near Tamworth with 20 kilos of heroin in his vehicle. At the same time Greater Manchester Police arrested Mahmood Hussain in Rochdale for his part in the conspiracy. The final arrest of the gang took place on Monday 4 December. Gazanfer Hussain was arrested in Stoke-on-Trent after a meticulous investigation had confirmed him as a major player in the syndicate’s supply network.
All ten were charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. All but two of the gang pleaded guilty. The other two were found guilty following a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
Superintendent Bernie O’Reilly, from Stoke-on-Trent division, said: “Operation Nemesis is sending a very clear message to drugs dealers: don’t even think of trying it in Staffordshire. Members of the public can be reassured that we are listening closely to their concerns and actively doing something about them.
“Our comprehensive investigation and excellent work with other police forces exposed a drugs gang involved in large-scale supply, and we stopped large amounts of the drug reaching the streets of Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Birmingham and Bedford.
“As well as significant prison sentences, dealers also risk losing their homes and vehicles. We are nationally recognised for using the Proceeds of Crime Act to deprive criminals of assets they’ve acquired through crime, and we’ll be making confiscation orders as part of this investigation.”
Supt O’Reilly appealed to members of the public to continue contacting the force with information about drug dealing.
Detective Inspector John Ogdon, from Greater Manchester Police's drugs unit, said: "This is an excellent result for all of the forces involved. Drugs contribute to all manner of other criminal offences and removing the people responsible for supplying them is essential if we are going to tackle this.
"The fact that so many forces worked together on this investigation has meant we have been able to take prolific drug dealers off the streets all over the UK.
"We are delighted to have been part of this operation and hope it acts as a warning to anyone else involved in drug related crime. This behaviour will not be tolerated and we will do everything possible to make sure you are held to account for your crimes."

Sean Walker is being charged with trafficking crack cocaine over 200 grams, possession with intent to distribute Class “B” substance offense

Sean Walker, 40, of 45 Medford Street was placed under arrest after police, armed with search warrants, conducted a search of Walker and his home. The search yielded several thousand dollars as well as crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana.
Police also seized a loaded .25 semi-automatic handgun, a plastic bag containing several .38 rounds, a camouflage body armor “flack jacket” type vest, $7,889, an 8 gram bag of a substance believed to be heroin, 350 grams of a substance police believed was crack cocaine, fifteen bags of what is believed to be marijuana, several plastic bags thought to contain cocaine, drug packaging, a digital scale with white powder residue, communications devices, and personal papers.Walker is being charged with trafficking crack cocaine over 200 grams, possession with intent to distribute Class “B” substance offense, possession with intent to distribute Class “A” heroin, possession with intent to distribute Class “D” marijuana, school zone violation, unlawful possession of firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.Detectives and uniformed officers from the Medford Police Drug Control Unit including DCU Sgt. David Montana, Det. Joseph Donahue, and Det. Kevin Braxton, Drug Unit detectives from the Cambridge Police Department, and the Everett Police Department K-9 Unit assisted in the raid.

Do Hyung Lee, Francis Lee; Shaode Cao, and Alice Yang, have all pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring with Hong Viet Luong

Shoade Cao, 21, of Sunnybank, Do Hyung Lee, 27, of Eight Mile Plains, Francis Vui Jan Lee, 25, of Stafford Heights, and Alice Yun Hsuan Yang, 22, pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court to conspiring to import narcotics between August and December 2004.
The court heard the crew used a similar modus operandi and some of the same people who were involved in the Bali Nine.Commonwealth prosecutor Stephen Hall, who revealed intimate details of the group's organisational structure and planning, said that Cao, Yang and Lee were couriers and allegedly recruited by Do Hyung Lee, or "Korean Danny", for two trips.He said Lee allegedly helped organise another earlier expedition involving two men he had recruited from a Brisbane karaoke club, promising that they would earn $10,000 if they successfully returned to Australia with drugs.That trip was abandoned when the two mules backed out. Sydney man Khanh Thanh Ly, jailed last December for conspiring to import heroin, yesterday told how he became involved in the heroin trade through former school friend Myuran Sukumaran, who is now on death row after his arrest as one of the Bali Nine.Ly helped organise drug mules in Australia and drove them around Sydney after the successful October 2004 operation.Mr Hall said that although Ly's last trip in December 2004 proved unsuccessful the four were still co-conspirators as they had travelled to Bali and had agreed to import the drugs.Mr Hall said the ringleaders told them to buy baggy clothes to conceal their body shape.Convicted drug smuggler Khanh Thanh Ly told the Queensland Supreme Court that one of the gang's ringleaders, Hong Viet Luong, had contacted him after the Bali arrests and told him he was "getting out'' of Australia.Ly, who was sentenced to seven years' jail in December for conspiring to import drugs as part of the syndicate, is giving evidence against four other accused drug smugglers.
Do Hyung Lee, 27; Francis Lee, 25; Shaode Cao, 21; and Alice Yang, 22, have all pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring with Hong Viet Luong and Bali Nine ringleaders Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan and others to import heroin into Australia. Cross-examination of Ly will continue this afternoon. Yesterday the court heard the syndicate that hired the so-called Bali Nine drug smugglers allegedly organised at least three drug-running trips to the Indonesian island before the nine were arrested. Commonwealth prosecutor Stephen Hall told the jury that three trips to Bali involving drug-running conspiracies were made in 2004.
Mr Hall said it would be alleged the first trip might or might not have been successful, the second resulted in large quantities being brought back to Australia, while the third was aborted because the heroin supply fell through. He said Danny Lee, known as "Korean Danny" was a recruiter in the drugs operation while the other three were couriers. Mr Hall said Danny Lee frequented JJ's Karaoke Lounge in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley entertainment district, where he met two young Brisbane men, Bozidar Ristic and Farhud Gujari, in August 2004. He told them they could make some "quick cash" if they brought something back from overseas. The two men agreed to the venture and Danny Lee later introduced them to Sukumaran, who told them the job involved travelling to Bali and flying back with "stuff" strapped to their bodies. Sukumaran told them not to worry as it had been done before and no one had been caught. Mr Ristic and Mr Gujari flew to Bali in October 2004 with Sukumaran and Khanh Thanh Ly, a Sydney man who is now serving a seven-year sentence for conspiring with Sukumaran and others to import heroin. The court heard Ly had agreed to testify against the accused in return for a reduced sentence. Mr Hall told the jury they would hear two versions of what happened on the first trip. He said Ly would testify that he saw Mr Ristic and Mr Gujari being strapped with drugs in Bali. However, the two Brisbane men would give evidence that they got cold feet as they were in Bali at the same time as Schapelle Corby was arrested for smuggling marijuana and there were many police on the island for the anniversary of the first Bali bombing. The two would testify that the trip organisers allowed them to go home without any drugs.

Colby Weymouth arrested on charges of aggravated cultivating of marijuana and possession of heroin

arrested Colby Weymouth, 20, on charges of aggravated cultivating of marijuana and possession of heroin, both Class C felonies.
On Friday evening, state troopers and an agent from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency went to an Industry Road home to conduct a probation check on someone living with Weymouth at 50 Industry Road, Casavant said. When they arrived, they detected an odor of green marijuana.
A search warrant was applied for and carried out with the assistance of Franklin County sheriff's officers where 48 marijuana plants were being grown. They also found a loaded rifle and a small amount of heroin, the trooper said.
The street value of the heroin is about $300 and if all the marijuana plants grew to maturation, the street value would be about $72,000, Casavant said. Weymouth was released on $1,000 cash bail.

Robert Santana Jr was charged with possession of marijuana, distribution of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to distribute

Arrested Robert Santana Jr., 24, who had been watched. When Santana left his house at noontime, police stopped him, seizing $1,270 cash and three cell phones. Santana gave officers a false name, calling himself Luis Feliciano, police said.
A search of Santana's apartment turned up 13.2 grams of heroin, three scales, a grinder, utility bills in the name of Luis Feliciano, drug packaging materials and $69 cash. Santana was charged with possession of marijuana, distribution of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, false name to a police officer and possession of a false Registry of Motor Vehicles document.
Three people, who detectives of the street narcotics enforcement unit said they saw hanging around on the corner of Tower Hill Street and Oregon Avenue waiting for a drug dealer while the detectives were waiting for a warrant to search Santana's home, also were arrested.They were: Nicole Eaton 24, 63 Washington St., Groveland, on a charge of knowingly being present where heroin is kept; Cesar Colon, 29, 34 Berkeley St., Lawrence, on charges of possession of heroin and cocaine, both with intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana; and Thomas Knight, 26, 31 Low St., Newbury, on a charge of possession of heroin.

David Baez arrested for attempting to sell heroin to an undercover police officer

David Baez, 39, of 48 Saratoga St., Apt. 3, Lawrence, was in court Wednesday to plead innocent to a charge of distribution of heroin in a case involving the Haverhill Police Narcotics Unit, assisted by state police."This has been an example of a series of arrests we've been making where we have been targeting heroin dealers out of Lawrence," Arahovites said.After Baez's release shortly before noon Wednesday, undercover police had a hunch that he might be operating again — and they were right.
Police arrested Baez for attempting to sell heroin to an undercover police officer. In addition, they arrested his driver, seized drugs, money and a 1995 Nissan Maxima.
Baez was charged with distribution of heroin and a drug violation in a school zone. Jose Medina, 36, of 70 Union St., apartment 1, Methuen, was arrested on similar charges.
"On the second deal, we guessed it may be him. When we grabbed him, we were as surprised as he was," Arahovites said. "In my career, I've seen people come and go from the courthouse. They'll drive from the courthouse, leave and get arrested again."

Trang Bich Hong,Lam Mong Chinh arrested for heroin smuggling in Vietnam

Vietnam arrested three Australian women after authorities found heroin in the hotel room of two of them and in a packet hidden on the body of the third as she tried to board a plane home, state-controlled media reported Friday (13 June).Early Thursday (12 June), police arrested Trang Bich Hong, 28, and Lam Mong Chinh, 25, after finding heroin in their hotel room, Tien Phong (Pioneer) newspaper said.
Late Wednesday (11 June) they detained a woman, who was unidentified, at the airport in southern Ho Chi Minh City after authorities found 250 grams (0.5 pound) of heroin hidden in one of her body cavities.The newspaper said the three, all of Vietnamese origin, were being monitored by Australian police for several months for their suspected role in trafficking heroin from Vietnam.Police were not available for comment Friday and officials at the Australian Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City would not comment.
Last week, police in Ho Chi Minh City arrested another Australian woman of Vietnamese origin after she collapsed with heroin in her stomach.
Vietnam has some of the world's harshest drug laws. Possession of 600 grams (1.32 pounds) of heroin or more is punishable by death.
About a dozen Vietnamese-Australians have been brought to court in Vietnam for heroin trafficking in recent years.
At least four have had their death sentences commuted because of lobbying by the Australian government, which banned the death penalty in 1973. Vietnam has not executed any Australians for drug offenses. (AP)

Van Quyen Ken Tang charged with possessing and importing commercial quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy

Van Quyen Ken Tang, 41, of Vancouver, appeared in court Thursday charged with possessing and importing commercial quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy. Australian police pegged the value of the haul at $78 million.Australian newspapers report that neither Tang nor three others applied for bail when they appeared in a Melbourne Magistrate's Court. They will be held in custody until their next appearance on Sept. 4.Australian Federal Police and Customs officers had been watching the container and swooped when four men began to unload it, Assistant Commissioner Tim Morris told the Melbourne Herald Sun."It's currently the subject of ongoing investigations, both here in Australia but certainly with our international counterparts in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police," he said.
"Obviously we have a lot of questions, and investigations are now taking place in Canada to look at the other end of the syndicate."Also charged are three Australians -- Son Anh Pham, 46, Tien Trinh, 26, and Thuan T. Le, 26.

Spiros Katos is charged with intent to pervert the course of justice, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and accessory after the fact to coca

Spiros Katos, 50, is charged with intent to pervert the course of justice, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and accessory after the fact to cocaine importation.He is also charged unlawfully assisting Mokbel to flee the jurisdiction while on bail.Katos was remanded in custody and ordered to face court on September 20 for a committal mention. He did not apply for bail.He was charged last night following an interview with Purana taskforce detectives at the St Kilda Road police complex, after which he faced an out-of-sessions hearing at St Kilda Road.Mokbel absconded while on trial on drug charges in Melbourne in March 2006 and was arrested in a cafe in Athens on June 5, 2007.The alleged plot to smuggle Mokbel out of Australia involved a luxury yacht, illicit money transfers and the use of a rural hideaway, according to police.He was recaptured in suburban Athens in June last year and extradited to Melbourne on May 17 following a lengthy legal battle.Five people were charged earlier with allegedly assisting the escape.
Yvonne Warfe, 34, of Burnside, has been charged with perverting the course of justice, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and impeding the prosecution of a person.She was bailed to reappear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on September 25 for a committal mention hearing.Bassillios Byron Pantazis, 63, and Angela Nissirios, 46, appeared in the same court on charges including perverting the course of justice by assisting Mokbel to flee, and dealing in property known to be the proceeds of crime.Both were remanded in custody to reappear in September.
Two brothers, aged 39 and 43, were charged with perverting the course of justice, conspiracy to pervert and being accessories after the fact.They are already in custody on an unrelated matter and will appear before a court at a later date.
Police said in an affidavit presented to the Victorian Supreme Court that Mokbel and his alleged accomplices spent as much as $1 million on an elaborate escape plan, including the purchase of a $350,000, 17-metre yacht and its refit for a sea voyage to Greece.Mokbel's partner, Danielle McGuire, flew into Melbourne from Greece early today.

Andrea Henry,Wayne Walshaw jailed for 12 months at the hearing in Montego Bay.

Andrea Henry, 39, of Ettington Avenue, Park End in Middlesbrough was jailed for six months and her partner Wayne Walshaw, 32, of Saltburn in Cleveland was jailed for 12 months at the hearing in Montego Bay.Charges against Henry's 17-year-old daughter, Toni Bellamy, were dropped and the teenager will be deported to the UK, a spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs said.The trio were arrested at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay on Sunday on suspicion of swallowing packages of cocaine,

the spokesman said.They had been due to board a flight to Manchester.
The court also handed down fines of 350,000 Jamaican dollars (£2,488) to Walshaw and 250,000 Jamaican dollars (£1,777) to Henry.Both face an extra six months in prison if they fail to pay.