Gang jailed for a total of 25 years after off-chance vehicle stop sparks money laundering investigation

The last two men of Manchester money laundering plot have been jailed.

The investigation was launched after a GMP officer who was on patrol on Pilkington Way on the 24 August 2022 spotted a VW Golf that was driving suspiciously with significant damage to the side of the vehicle with a smashed window.

The driver of the vehicle noticed the officer’s interest and decided to speed off. The vehicle ran a red traffic light, and the officer began to activate emergency equipment to follow the car.

The officer was able to safely stop the vehicle, the occupant decided to try and run off but was quickly caught and Zahid Bashir was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop for police.

Officers didn’t know that what they found in that vehicle would be the start of a huge Economic Crime Unit investigation spanning over two years.

Following a search of the vehicle, five bundles of cash were located in the glove box, totalling £23,510 which was seized by police alongside two mobile phones and a wallet with Zahid Bashir’s driving license. Bashir was then further arrested on suspicion of money laundering.

Following a search of Bashir’s home address in Bury, a further four phones were seized, including a damaged black phone found hidden in the back of a kitchen cabinet and a small amount of cannabis. A black firearm which was later found to be a metal BB gun was also located and seized.

After the phones were seized, messages and phone calls created a timeline for investigating officers and it was evident that Bashir was taking instructions from an individual called “SLUG” who passed across postcodes which indicated to officers that “SLUG” was organising the sale and transportation of drugs.

“SLUG” was then identified as having the same phone number as another of Bashir’s contacts which was saved as “W” in his phone.

Upon examining further messages, it was uncovered that “W” and Bashir were involved in the large-scale importation of cannabis from Albania, and then the dissemination of these drugs throughout the Northwest of England.

From uncovering more messages, “W” arranged a flight and holiday to Spain for himself and Bashir as a birthday treat and after the holiday, Bashir messaged “Wass Ali” thanking him for everything, this led officers to believe they had found the individual behind the codename “W”.  Ali’s phone number was searched on the police system, and this led to the confirmation the number was linked to Wasim Ali.

Ali was previously interviewed by the police for a separate offence, and by listening to the interview recording and comparing them to the voice messages he was sending to Bashir, officers believed it was the same person and Ali’s previous custody photo compared with the holiday images of him with Bashir were also very similar. 

It was believed that Wasim Ali previously owned a series of takeaway restaurants and throughout the investigation, detectives believe that the criminal profits through the sale of drugs would be laundered through the legitimate businesses.  

Through viewing more messages, “MANNY” is identified as being an individual who controls the money, payments and loans.

There were two numbers saved as “MANNY” in Bashir’s contacts and detectives inputted one of the numbers into the police system and it was recognised as being a number given to the police by Imran Aslam when police had previously interacted with him.

On 3 January 2023, detectives conducted simultaneous strikes on two addresses in Bury believed to be linked to the group.

Zahid Bashir was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs and money laundering and was further arrested on suspicion of possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply. Several items were seized including two mobile phones and a large bag of vegetable matter, that is believed to contain approximately 2.5 kg of cannabis bush. Which is believed to be worth up to approximately £24500 or £33,500 if sold as 1g bags to customers. 

Imran Aslam was arrested on suspicion of money laundering, two phones and various items of designer clothing and £430 in cash was seized.

Following the warrant, paperwork was seized from Aslam’s address which suggested he purchased a deposit box in Oldham, when officers gained access to this box, £15,000 was seized along with a quantity of gold jewellery.

On Wednesday 4 January, Wasim Ali was stopped by police at the Port of Dover in Kent attempting to flee the country to France, he was subsequently arrested on suspicion of money laundering and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and brought back to Manchester to face questioning.

Three phones were seized from the vehicle along with £2200 seized from his luggage. 

Through accessing the messages on these phones, a group chat was uncovered involving Ali and three others, who would discuss and organise the collection and delivery of multiple items to a variety of locations between themselves, and they would then each arrange a driver to go to these locations and meet.

It was found an individual named Mohammed Bilal was in regular contact with Ali and was in conversation with him regarding the sale and collection of cannabis on an almost daily basis discussing the day to day running of the OCG.

Bilal was in charge of organising deliveries, drivers, collections, and payments.

On Monday 27 February 2023 a further warrant was executed at the home address of Bilal in Bury and he was again arrested on suspicion of concerned in the supply of Class B drugs and Money Laundering and further arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

Officers had enough evidence to charge all four men who were later sentenced on Friday 14 March to a total of 25 years for their involvement.

Wasim Ali, (11/08/1988), of Derwent Drive, Bury was sentenced to 14 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs.

 Zahid Bashir, (12/05/1979), of Canon Street, Bury, was sentenced to four years and six months after he pleaded guilty to money laundering and being concerning in the supply class B drugs.

Mohammed Bilal (06/05/1993) of Sanderson Street, Bury pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class B drugs and Money Laundering and was sentenced to three years.

Imran Aslam (20/06/1980) of Derwent Drive, Bury was found guilty of Money Laundering and Concerned in the Supply of Class B drugs and sentenced to four years.

Detective Inspector Sarah Langley of GMP’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This investigation uncovered a sophisticated drugs operation which was designed to be concealed in several legitimate businesses.
“Although money laundering can be masked as a victimless crime, these men used the proceeds of their drug operation to fund further violence in our communities and I am pleased to say that we have caused significant disruption to their drug supply and have stopped them from being able to live lavishly at the expense of others and we will now continue to work to ensure they cannot enjoy this money after prison.

“We are dedicated to relentlessly pursuing and disrupting those who attempt to flood Greater Manchester with drugs and will do all we can to bring those involved to justice. Drugs not only pose a risk to those who take them, but they are also often one of the biggest factors that lead to serious violence on our streets.

"Anyone with information about drugs in their area can report it online or by using our LiveChat service at www.gmp.police.uk. Altern