Wembley gang jailed for importing unregulated pills from India

The investigation started after US Customs and Border officials intercepted several shipments from the UK, leading authorities to the gang’s operations.

• EasternEye
• 27 October, 2024

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By: EasternEye

THREE members of a drug gang from Wembley have been sentenced for importing over a million unregulated pills from India.

The case was heard at Southwark Crown Court on October 25, reported the Kilburn Times.

Salman Ansari, 33, his wife Juhi Ansari, and Waqas Saleem, 33, were all convicted following an investigation that began in October 2020.

The investigation started after US Customs and Border officials intercepted several shipments from the UK, leading authorities to the gang’s operations. In June 2021, a search in Vermont, USA, uncovered various pharmaceuticals linked to the gang.

The City of London Police traced the pills’ drop-off points to a Wembley storage unit, where 730 kg of drugs were seized. The pills included opioids and benzodiazepines, substances that can have fatal sedative effects if misused, the newspaper reported. A variety of controlled substances were recovered, including nine Class C drugs, one Class B, and one Class A.

Financial investigations revealed Salman Ansari controlled 11 bank accounts with a credit turnover of £1.09 million. Significant transactions were made between Salman and Juhi, along with fund transfers to India. Although all three pleaded not guilty, a unanimous jury found them guilty on all counts.

Salman received a six-year sentence, Saleem two and a half years, and Juhi a suspended sentence requiring 100 hours of unpaid work and 25 days of rehabilitation.

Detective Constable Syed Shah from City of London Police’s serious organised crime team highlighted the harmful impact of the drug trade, noting that many of the seized drugs were unregulated and posed serious risks to users.