Manchester drug gang jailed for 46 years after flaunting Lamborghinis in Monaco
Seven members of an Oldham and Rochdale crime group were jailed at Manchester Crown Square Court after flaunting luxury cars across Europe. The gang supplied Class A and B drugs across England and Scotland and laundered up to £2 million.
Greater Manchester crime group dismantled after Monaco luxury car trip exposed lavish lifestyle
Seven members of an organised crime group based in Oldham and Rochdale were sentenced to a combined 46 years in prison at Manchester Crown Square Court on 29 May, Daily Express reports. The gang had operated a wholesale drug supply network spanning England and Scotland, alongside a sophisticated money-laundering operation.
Their criminal activity ran from January 2024 to May 2025. In August 2024, three of the suspects — Umar Vakas, Sajjad Anwar, and Talha Nasim — were observed travelling through France, Switzerland, Monaco, and Italy in high-end vehicles including Lamborghinis, Audis, and Mercedes. The conspicuous display of wealth drew investigative attention and ultimately contributed to the group's downfall.
Those sentenced were: Sajjad Anwar of Bronte Close, Rochdale; Umar Vakas of Rising Lane, Oldham; Anthony Carter of Briarwood Crescent, Stockport; Talha Nasim of Boundary Street, Rochdale; Waqas Mustafa of Fitzwilliam Road, Rotherham; Bilal Irshad of Aubrey Street, Rochdale; and Mohamed Kayani of Shelfield Lane, Rochdale.
Investigators established distinct roles within the network. Vakas was identified as a central figure in the drug-supply operation, acting as a broker arranging wholesale transactions between suppliers and buyers. Carter served as a wholesale purchaser, receiving multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine under Vakas's instruction during April 2025. Nasim played a key role in cannabis supply, including cross-border distribution into Scotland.
The group moved significant volumes of controlled substances throughout the operation, including 80kg of cannabis valued at over £1 million.
On the money-laundering side, Irshad and Kayani operated a network using business accounts, cash-storage locations, and structured transfers. The pair laundered between £500,000 and £2 million, with Irshad in a leading role and Kayani providing substantial support. Anwar separately directed others within a laundering network, overseeing the movement and concealment of criminal proceeds. Mustafa acted as a custodian and courier of wholesale drug quantities; the 33-year-old also maintained detailed ledgers documenting transactions and was found in possession of drugs and paraphernalia at the time of his arrest.
Detective Inspector Rick Castley of Greater Manchester Police's serious and organised crime division described the group as "a highly sophisticated outfit" with "many layers where everyone played their part — from the couriers to purchasers, to laundering cash under what seemed to be legitimate businesses."
Castley said the individuals "operated across borders, using sophisticated methods to conceal their activities and avoid detection," and credited intelligence-led policing and inter-agency collaboration for dismantling the network.
"The sentences that have been handed out over the past two days sends a clear message: organised crime will not be tolerated, and those who seek to profit from it will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice," Castley added.
Source: Daily Express