By: Pramod Thomas
Two sisters who ran a drug ring in Bury, Greater Manchester, have been ordered to pay back over £300,000 they laundered through their beauty salon, according to reports.
Shazia Din, 44, and Abia Din, 47, led a beauty business, called The Beauty Booth, as a money laundering operation.
They were jailed in 2020 and now have been ordered to pay the amount back.
During a hearing at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday (30) the judge confiscated a total of £345,031 from seven individuals involved in the crime.
According to reports, the sisters supplied MDMA, heroin and cocaine to customers from their salon.
Shaiza Din was jailed for 15 years. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and intention to supply class B drugs, including cannabis as well as conspiracy to convert and transfer criminal property.
Abia Din pleaded guilty to convert and transfer criminal property and was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to supply drugs. She was jailed for 18 years.
Shaiza had £259,079 confiscated, while Abia will loose a sum of £49,478.
A spokesman for GMP said: “£736,464.30 in total has now been confiscated from all individuals involved in the drugs ring, including those who were instrumental in driving drugs between Manchester and Yorkshire.
“The operation saw over 60 kilos of class A drugs seized – including heroin and cocaine – as well as £300,000 in cash, a hydraulic press, drugs paraphernalia, a handgun and ammunition. Members of the conspiracy were sentenced to a total of 140 years.”
Following Greater Manchester Police’s Operation Heart, 20 people were arrested, convicted and sentenced for their roles in the operation from December 2018 to July 2019.
Prosecutor Andrew Ford told the court that Shazia’s relationship with Peter Wrafter, 57, saw the supply and distribution of heroin, cocaine and amphetamines throughout South Yorkshire-based networks.
When he was arrested, Shazia ‘promoted’ her son Hassan, then aged 21, and Natalie Wrafter, 31, took over from her father, the court heard.
Hassan Din pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B drugs and conspiracy to transfer criminal property. He was jailed for 14 years. Natalie Wrafter was jailed for 11 years and three months for similar drugs offences.
Detective Chief Inspector Roger Smethurst said: “We are extremely pleased with the results of the confiscation hearing, and the case as a whole. The officers involved have worked tirelessly to secure convictions against instrumental members of an organised crime group operating out of Greater Manchester.
“We hope that this serves as a reminder to anyone that we continue to investigate and secure convictions in large-scale drugs operations.”
[TheChamp-Sharing]
