Trio jailed for conspiracy to supply drugs across East Lancashire

Last year on April 10th officers from the Pendle taskforce arrested Asim Hafeez and Zohaib Hussain after a large quantity of crack cocaine and heroin was thrown from a window which Hafeez was driving on Briercliffe Road in Burnley.

Both men were then released under investigation and the taskforce launched a further investigation into organised crime, class A drug supply and of offenders who were suspected of cuckooing vulnerable people across Pendle.

By obtaining further evidence through telephone enquiries, officers carried out further arrests at addresses in Nelson and Burnley last July whereby over 1.5 kilos of bulk cocaine was located along with 1,538 street packaged deals and over one kilo of boric acid which is a drug cutting agent.

The total street value of drugs recovered were £241,590. Officers also seized cash, designer items and assets which were acquired from the proceeds of crime.

In regards to these incidents three males have been on remand since July 2020 and today they have all appeared at Preston Crown Court for sentencing.

Asim Hafeez (20) of Brier Crescent, Nelson - sentenced to four years, six months imprisonment.

Zohaib Hussain (26) of Thursby Road, Burnley- sentenced to six years imprisonment.

Asad Hussain (24) of Thursby Road, Burnley- sentenced to three years, two months imprisonment.

Cuckooing is a form of crime in which drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person in order to use it as a base for drug trafficking.

If you suspect that somebody is a victim of cuckooing or you have information in regards to drugs being supplied in your local area please either contact your local neighbourhood policing team, call 101, or alternatively you can call independent charity crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.

A police spokesman said: “Drug dealing will not be tolerated within our local neighbourhoods and we will continue to target those people who are involved in drug dealing as we all know that this type of crime has a real detrimental effect on our wider communities.”