A 26-year-old from Walthamstow has been sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiring to import £1.1 million worth of heroin from Pakistan.

Zohaib Shah, of Greenacre Gardens, was found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court on October 17 alongside Muhammed Fayaz, 26, of Vicarage Farm Road, Hounslow, Luqman Shah, 25, of Delamere Road, Hayes, and Adnan Malik, 29, of no fixed address. 

In total, six men were arrested by detectives following a seven-month intelligence-led operation, supported by the Border Force, the National Crime Agency and Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics team in Karachi. 

A suspicious package first arrived at Coventry International postal hub on October 8 last year and officials discovered Indian restaurant menus created under the false business name Royal Spice stuffed with heroin worth an estimated £75,000. 

The package was addressed to a house in Hayes, Middlesex, but detectives were unable to find the exact recipients. 

Three weeks later, police at Jinnah airport in Karachi found £67,000 of heroin concealed in the lining of baby's clothing which was destined for an address in Hounslow and linked to Zahid Shah, of Windsor Gardens in Hayes. 

Following his arrest on November 4, detectives found thousands of text messages on Shah's phone linking him to the other gang members and drug supply, with one message saying: "Let the business grow, we'll kick some arse before we go home!"  

Mastermind Omar Farooq Islam, 24, of Olive Crescent in Oldham, was sentenced to nine years and four months imprisonment.

Farooq, a tyre repair company owner, also had £19,000 cash seized after officers raided two of his properties in Oldham. 

Zohaib Shah was arrested following a series of raids carried out over a three-month period after his accomplice was detained in early November. 

In total 12 packages were intercepted in London, Oldham and Manchester containing 5.25 kilos of heroin with an estimated street value of £1,113.212.

Mike Butler, Border Force Senior Officer, said: “Heroin is an evil drug that ruins the lives of users, their families and the communities in which they live.

“Detections like this demonstrate how Border Force officers are at the forefront of the fight to keep illegal drugs and other banned substances off the streets.

“Working with our colleagues in the police and at the National Crime Agency we are determined to do all we can to stop drug traffickers.”

The other members of the gang were sentenced to five years in prison each.