Sohail Qureshi, a 64-year-old criminal from Glasgow, has been convicted for his role in trafficking up to £7 billion worth of narcotics, marking his involvement in the UK’s largest ever drug smuggling operation. This conviction comes after a lengthy criminal career that previously saw him mastermind a £15 million bank fraud.
Qureshi, who was part of a major organised crime group, helped import large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and other drugs into the UK. His cartel used shipments of onions and garlic as a cover for the narcotics, which were sold to street gangs across the country, from south-east England to Scotland. The operation lasted over two and a half years, during which £40 million worth of drugs were seized by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Before his latest conviction, Qureshi had been jailed in 2014 for his role in a massive fraud scheme involving NatWest bank. In 2004, he and his gang exploited an online banking flaw, transferring millions of pounds to Latvia. After the fraud was uncovered, Qureshi fled to Dubai, evading capture for nearly a decade. He was eventually arrested and convicted in 2014 for conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and using false instruments for fraud.
Now, in 2024, Qureshi faces a new sentence after being found guilty of conspiracy to import drugs. He was a key link between British and Dutch organised crime groups, orchestrating new drug transport routes into the UK. Qureshi’s involvement in criminal activity contributed to the widespread damage caused by drug trafficking, with consequences including turf wars, County Lines drug dealing, and violence.
Qureshi will be sentenced at a later date, and authorities have vowed to continue cracking down on individuals who play pivotal roles in the drug trade and financial crime.