Yahoo News The inside story of how cops brought down the infamous Chyna drugs line
Four drug dealers who conspired to flood East Lancashire with cocaine are beginning prison sentences totalling more than 30 years.
Police intercepted the Chyna drugs line, headed up by Asar Khan, after recovering a vehicle containing a kilo of cocaine, close to Khan's home in July Street, Blackburn. . The drugs, found in April 2019, were later forensically linked to Khan.
On December 9, 2022 officers executed a search warrant at defendant Essa Akram’s house and found £5,000 in cash. Eight days later officers approached a vehicle parked between June Street, and July Street, Blackburn.
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When the officers interacted with the driver of the car, it was deliberately driven at them. That vehicle was registered to defendant Ghaffar Ahmed and insured to his co-defendant son Asar Khan.
Enquiries placed defendant Vakar Ellahi in the area at the time of the incident. On December 21, 2022, Ellahi was in Bolton at the same time as the Chyna drugs line. On January 14, 2023, Ellahi text the Chyna line stating: “I need my wage.”
Two days later officers seized a vehicle which was registered and insured to Ahmed and also insured to Khan. Within that vehicle we found 105 wraps of cocaine, 79 grams of cannabis.
On February 26, 2023, Akram was caught on CCTV entering a petrol station to purchase a tup up the Chyna drugs line. On March 29, 2023, Ellahi was arrested in Colne.
Ahmed was arrested at an address in Mill Hill, Blackburn, and his phone was seized. A top up receipt found in a bin was linked back to Ellahi.
Ekram was arrested at his home in Blackburn a threw a mobile into his neighbour’s garden. Officers recovered the phone which transpired to be the Chyna line. Officers also found £10,000 cash in his bedroom and eight wraps of cocaine in a car parked outside.
All four men appeared at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday (18th June) and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Khan, 39, of July Street, Blackburn, was jailed for eight years and six months.
Ellahi, 29, of Trevor Close, Blackburn, was jailed for seven years and ten months.
Ahmed, 43, of Adelaide Terrace, Blackburn, was jailed for seven years and six months.
Akram, 23, of Skelshaw Close, Blackburn, was jailed for five years.
DS Stu Peall, of the East Exploitation Team, said: “These conspirators targeted the most vulnerable member of society in their pursuit of the high life.
“I welcome the sentences handed down by the judge which reflects the seriousness of their actions and the consequences of selling illegal drugs in East Lancashire.”
