An Encrochat dealer has been jailed after supplying the North West with cocaine and heroin in a £1m drug plot.
Nabeel Rasheed supplied Liverpool as part of his drug ring that covered a number of places across the North West using Encrochat, with the 28-year-old using the alias "Limitedturtle". Rasheed used the encrypted messaging service to message members of organised crime groups.
Rasheed, of Southbank Road, Bury, was part of the drug ring that was based in Oldham, with him being involved in the purchase of at least 15kg of cocaine and 9.5kg of heroin between April and June 2020, as well as breaking down batches into smaller amounts which were then sold to distributors who supplied customers in the likes of Liverpool and Bradford.
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On Friday, July 16, 2021, Greater Manchester Police officers conducted surveillance on Rasheed who was seen carrying two bin liners and another bag into his home. More than 14kg of cocaine was found in his bedroom, with an estimated wholesale price of £529k, and packaging from more than 100kg which had already been broken up.
The potential street value of the 100kg of packaging that was found would be up to £3.6m. The findings from the search matched the events that were shown in the messages sent and received by Rasheed on Encrochat.
Detective Constable Marc Walby, of GMP Serious and Organised Crime Group (SOCG), said: "This gang thought they were able to avoid detection by using these devices; they have instead presented us with a treasure trove of evidence that has enabled us to take this criminal group off our streets and highlight our commitment to removing drugs from our communities.
"Our team worked meticulously with other agencies to piece together a timeline of Rasheed’s actions to bring about charges and then a conviction for his crimes. The severity of his offences should not be underestimated, and the quantities of drugs we are talking about here are beyond substantial. The removal of Rasheed and his associates will have a discernible difference on the streets of Oldham and across the Northwest.
“Information or concerns from the public regarding drug supply in your area plays a key part in our process. If you have any information which may aid our investigations into the trade of drugs across Greater Manchester, then please get in touch with us on the numbers provided below."
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