Drug dealer hid cocaine in frightened family’s home
Brothers caught with £13,000 stash
ADRUG dealer who used a frightened Romanian family’s home to hide cocaine they would later sell on the streets has been jailed along with his brother who later joined the ‘enterprise’
Arfan and Shamas Iqbal, aged 31 and 27 respectively, who lived at the same address at Park Road, Rochdale, were found in possession of nearly £13,000 worth of drugs when police were tipped off about their operation.
They were sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, sitting at Stockport magistrates’ court.
Arfan was locked up for five years and Shamas was given three years and four months.
Arfan Iqbal had pleaded guilty to being concerned with the supply of cocaine at street level over a period of two-and-a-half years and Shamas Iqbal admitted the same charge over a period of 13 months as well as possessing criminal cash.
Recorder Douglas Jones QC was told how the Romanian family included an 11-year-old girl and a boy of 15. One bag of cocaine was found in the wardrobe of the boy.
On December 22, 2020, Police went to the Iqbals’ home they shared in Rochdale where more cocaine and mobile phones were found which proved that Arfan Iqbal had been street dealing the drug for two-and-ahalf years and Shamas had been active for 13 months.
In Shamas’ bedroom, a diary was found in the top bunk where a child was sleeping with a list of names and addresses of people who owed them money for drugs.
In the search of the house, a total of £10,265 in cash was recovered. £920 was found in Shamas’ pocket and £2,070 was found in a box in the bedroom and a further £2,900 was found under his bed. In total £5,890 was attributed to the younger of the two brothers.
When both were arrested and interviewed they both gave ‘no comment’ answers to police.
Peter Cadwallader, prosecuting, said it was Arfan Iqbal who ‘played a leading role in the enterprise.
“He had been dealing at street level since late May in 2018,” he said. “Aggravating factors were the control over the whole Romanian family and their home, which includes children.”
He said that on one occasion Arfan Iqbal was handling the cocaine, putting it into bags, he allowed the daughter to watch and film what he was doing.
“Arfan Iqbal exposed third parties to the risk of serious harm at a location of the drug activity,” said Mr Cadwallader. “And there was an element of fear in the exploitation of the Romanian family.”
Although he was not a leader of the enterprise, Mr Cadwallader said Shamas’ role in the enterprise was ‘significant’.
The court heard that there is an application was in progress for a confiscation order or funds under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Keith Harrison, defending Arfan Iqbal, said while it was true the brothers gave ‘no comment’ answers when interviewed by police they had pleaded guilty at an early stage of the proceedings.
“There is little dispute, if any, that this was a period of trafficking of about twoand-a-half years and he played a leading role in his own enterprise,” he said. “And a little later he involved his brother, which he bitterly regrets.”
However, he said his client denies putting the Romanian family in fear of their safety.
“He has always said from the start that they permitted him to keep the drugs in the house and were given some reward,” he said.
“And they asked for a new TV.
“As for the drugs found in the wardrobe, one of the parents suggested that the drugs be put there.”
Oliver Jarvis, for Shamas Iqbal, said his defendant was not involved in the activity relating to the Romanian family.
“But he accepts he played a significant role,” he said. “He is described by an employer and his wife as being kind, trustworthy and family orientated. He is very remorseful.”
PLANNING applications lodged with Rochdale Borough Council up to the week ending September 3 include: ●● AN application has been submitted for a loft conversion to the bungalow and front dormer, at 11 Kenilworth Road, Rochdale. ●● AN application has been resubmitted for single-storey rear extension with additional window to the side elevation, at 2 Cotaline Close, Rochdale. ●● AN application has been submitted for the construction of a 40MW energy storage facility, with an operational limit of 35MW, with associated control and auxiliary equipment, parking, boundaries, and landscaping, with the creation of associated vehicular access onto Royle Barn Road, at land to the rear of Astra Centre, Royal Barn Road, Rochdale. ●● AN application has been submitted for a residential development with the erection of 27 dwellings, including the formation of a new access point onto Taylor Street, at land off Taylor
Swift/regent Street, Rochdale. ●● AN application has been submitted for a single-storey front extension, with a pitched roof, inducing the replacement of a ground floor rear window, at 50 Hillside Walk, Rochdale. ●● AN application has been resubmitted for a front and rear dormer extension, at 16 Reservoir Street, Rochdale. ●● AN application has been resubmitted for a two-storey rear extension with an additional single-storey rear extension, including alterations to the side elevation window, following the demolition of the existing rear extension, at 5 Mcnaught Street, Rochdale. ●● DETAILS have been submitted to comply with conditions involving nesting birds, in relation to a previously submitted application at Plot G, Kingsway Business Park. ●● AN application has been submitted for tree works, involving the removal of nine ash trees, at Timbercliffe, Littleborough.