Suspected members of an international organised crime group – arrested as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into the importation of cocaine, heroin and cannabis worth billions of pounds – have been charged with conspiracies to import class A and B drugs.

The thirteen men were apprehended during dawn raids on Tuesday across London, Manchester, Stockport, St Helens, Warrington, Bolton, Dewsbury, and Leeds.

Yesterday evening, the following individuals were charged with four counts of conspiracy to import class A drugs and four counts of conspiracy to import class B drugs:

  • Paul Green (DoB 26/03/65), of Eccleston, St Helens;
  • Sohail Quereshi (DoB 08/07/60), Wood Crescent, White City, London;
  • Mohammed Ovais (DoB 18/01/78), of Bournlee Avenue, Burnage, Manchester;
  • Ghazanfar Mahmood (DoB 03/12/70), of Green Lane, Bolton;
  • Ifthikar Hussain (DoB 26/08/73) of Upland Grove, Leeds, West Yorkshire;
  • Vojtech Dano (DoB 23/09/81), of Vulcan Gardens, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire;
  • Ivan Turtak (DoB 30/08/85), of Vulcan Gardens, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

The following were all charged with two counts of conspiracy to import class A drugs and two counts of conspiracy to import class B drugs:

  • Khaleed Vazeer (DoB 09/11/62), of Westwood Avenue, Timperley, Manchester;
  • Steven Martin (DoB 12/04/71), of Chorley Old Road, Bolton;
  • Andrew Reilly (DoB 24/11/81) of Grange Park Road, St Helens;
  • Mark Peers (DoB 07/02/64), of Norbeck Close, Warrington;
  • Paul Ruane (DoB 25/01/65), of Bewsey Rd, Warrington;
  • Oliver Penter (DoB 01/07/82), of Gladstone Street, Stockport.

They have been remanded in custody to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday).

The four men and two women from the Netherlands, who were arrested in April by the Dutch National Police on European Arrest Warrants, are currently awaiting extradition to the UK.

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