Cocaine boss continued to run drugs ring from jail

Omar Din's contacts extended from his jail cell to people overseas

A jailed drugs boss continued to run a major cocaine network from his prison cell, a court heard.

Omar Din, 36, gave orders for his accomplices to supply the drug across Manchester from behind bars.

He has now been jailed for a further 20 years at Manchester Crown Court after admitting suppling cocaine.

Din "showed no sign of slowing down" while he got his associates to do the "dirty work" for him, police said.

Drug experts estimate the network was involved in supplying between 18 to 27 kilograms of the substance.

Din used an iPhone, which was found concealed inside an orange exercise roller during a prison search, to run the network while serving a seven-year sentence for previous drug offences.

'Highly destructive'

Greater Manchester Police examined the phone and found incoming messages from various contacts involved in the large scale conspiracy.

The force said the network was also discussing future international business opportunities, debtor lists, locations of drug deals and large volumes of cash.

Din, who was believed to have connections in Holland, Hungary, Morocco, and Albania, was questioned and charged in April.

He was previously convicted in 2021 for the supply of cocaine and heroin.

His long criminal history also saw him go on the run for six years to evade detection following a previous investigation in 2013.

An international arrest warrant was issued, and he was arrested whilst travelling from Istanbul to Sweden.

When detained, police found he had two phones and £2,500 cash.

Det Insp James Coles said: “Din was fully aware of the illegalities of his actions but, regardless, he sought to profit from the trade of these highly destructive commodities.

“By removing Omar Din from the chain of command, we will have disrupted their operation, and we continue to identify those below him so we can dismantle the entire organised crime group.”