Accrington Crime Gang Busted: Over 30 Years Behind Bars
Four members of a ruthless organised crime group (OCG) running a dedicated drug line in Accrington have been slammed with prison sentences totalling over 30 years. Police launched a major crackdown after locals raised the alarm about rampant drug dealing in their area.
Operation Melford Cracks Down on Drug Line
In October 2020, officers started Operation Melford following complaints about drug activity near St Leger Court in Accrington. Phone taps and CCTV revealed the infamous Soldier Line was being run from this area.
On October 12, Waqas Khan was arrested at a property on Exchange Street after police forced their way in, hearing a toilet repeatedly flushed. Inside, they found scales with heroin, crack cocaine, and £1,000 in cash. Khan’s phone, seized at his College Street home, contained messages linked to drug supply.
Four Gang Members Make Daring Escape—Caught Anyway
Later that evening, police raided an address on Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle. Khan, released on bail earlier that day, was there with co-defendant Eshan Monshur. When officers stormed the property, Khan, Monshur, and two others jumped from a barricaded bedroom window. Eyewitnesses confirmed all four made a desperate leap to avoid capture.
Khan was nabbed in a nearby schoolyard, while Monshur’s phone was found close by. Inside the Catlow Hall bedroom, officers uncovered £5,000 worth of heroin and crack cocaine being packaged for street deals alongside multiple mobile phones.
Homeowners Caught Allowing Drug Dealing
- Property owner Lawrie Dunn was arrested after her phone revealed she knew about the drug operation at her house.
- Co-defendant Anastacia Dearden admitted letting Basha Ullah pack drugs at her home.
Shortly after the raid, officers spotted a taxi with Monshur and defendants Mohammed Mushtaq and Junaid Khan nearby—suspected to be the other window jumpers. Khan was caught with crack cocaine hidden in his boxer shorts. Mushtaq’s fingerprints were found on drug packaging seized at Catlow Hall.
Gang Members Face Heavy Jail Terms
- Waqas Khan, 28, of no fixed address, jailed for 10 years and six months for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
- Junaid Khan, 22, of Lime Road, Accrington, locked up for 12 years and eight months.
- Eshan Monshur, 20, of Blackburn, sentenced to four years and six months.
- Basha Ullah, 36, of no fixed address, jailed for three years and nine months.
Mushtaq’s sentencing is pending.
Four Others Sentenced for Enabling Drug Supply
Following evidence from Operation Melford, four locals pleaded guilty to letting their properties be used for Class A drug selling. They received community orders with drug dependency treatment and unpaid work:
- Natalie Butt, 51, St Leger Court – 12 months community order
- John Owen, 51, St Leger Court – 12 months community order, 100 hours unpaid work
- Lawrie Dunn, 37, Oswaldtwistle – 18 months community order
- Anastacia Dearden, 26, Accrington – 12 months community order
Police Send Strong Message to Drug Dealers
“I am pleased with these significant custodial sentences handed down by the court. I hope that they send out a strong message that Lancashire Police and the courts will not tolerate the behaviour of OCGs who seek to profit from the most vulnerable in society by selling Class A drugs,” said DCI Tim Brown.
“If you suspect criminal activity is taking place in your area, I would encourage you to contact the police, confident that we will take the appropriate action.”
