Blackburn man who smuggled heroin in balloons and gloves jailed

Akhlaq Muhammad conspired with others in Pakistan, Dubai and Birmingham to move the drugs internationally

A man who smuggled heroin with a street value of about £1.5m into the UK in balloons and gloves has been jailed.

Lancashire Police said Akhlaq Muhammad, from Blackburn, also hid drugs in a coffee machine and a carpet in an attempt to trick customs officials.

It said the 42-year-old had conspired with people in Pakistan, Dubai and Birmingham to smuggle the heroin.

Muhammad admitted his part in the conspiracy and was sentenced to six years in prison at Preston Crown Court.

The force said he used variations of his name and those of family members to have 11 packages of heroin with a combined weight of 50lb (23kg) delivered to properties in Canterbury Street and Whitebirk Road in Blackburn.

Lancashire Police said Muhammad used balloons in the shape of TV and film characters and work gloves to smuggle drugs

It said a search of his home revealed a "drug dealer burner phone" and a large cardboard box containing balloons which were "similar to those seized containing heroin".

He was subsequently charged with and later admitted conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class A drug.

Speaking after sentencing, Det Ch Insp Tom Edmondson said the drug trafficker had considered himself "a criminal mastermind" and had believed he "could outsmart the authorities", but thanks to the hard work and diligence of the investigation team, "we have managed to put a pin in Muhammad's sophisticated criminal network".

He added that he hoped Muhammad's sentence sent "a clear message to any organised crime network that East Lancashire is not a safe place to operate".