International crime gang operating £3m 'chop shop' plot in Greater Manchester smashed

An international organised crime gang which orchestrated a £3 million ‘chop shop’ has been smashed.

Prestige cars including Range Rovers, Mercedes, Porsche and BMWs were stolen and shipped off to the Middle East, or broken down for parts. The expensive cars were often ‘stolen to order’ from driveways at night, or even in broad daylight or from shopping centres. The brazen Oldham based gang were linked to almost 100 stolen cars, which had been taken from across Greater Manchester or further afield.

The ringleader of the conspiracy and further five men were jailed in January 2022. Then, a judge expressed outrage after it was revealed that the OCG’s leader, Asif Hussain, had been able to secure a £50,000 Covid loan offered by the Government to help businesses struggling during the pandemic.

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Now more than two years later, a further seven members of the gang have finally faced justice for their roles in the staggering plot. Sentencing, Judge Neil Usher told Minshull Street Crown Court that the public at large were also affected by their crimes.

He told them: “The wider public are also victims of this type of offending, because insurance premiums are increasing because of the actions of criminals like you. The public is fed up of having to subsidise your activities through increasing insurance premiums.”

The judge described the outfit as ‘highly professional’ and ‘well organised’, using ‘sophisticated equipment’ to commit their crimes.

The ‘chop shops’, where stolen cars were broken down, were discovered by police in old mills in Oldham and Bury, as well as a unit in Wigan. The cars were often stolen in horrendous circumstances.

One man at home in Failsworth with his three-year-old daughter was told he would be killed if he went outside to investigate, as thieves stole his Mercedes, the hearing in 2022 was told.

Among those sentenced in court on Friday was Asif Matadar, who was part of the ‘professional team of car thieves’. The judge said he had displayed a ‘breathtaking piece of criminal arrogance’ when in May 2020, just hours after attending a police compound to collect a car in his name, he was involved in the theft of a Volvo in broad daylight.

Shewaz Rehman was in a WhatsApp group named ‘The Company’, where the gang discussed their criminal plots. When he was ‘chopping’ one particular Range Rover, Adam Elwood filmed a video clip where he ‘boasted’ that it was ‘the beginning of the end’ for the car.

Imran Taj operated an eBay site where stolen car parts were sold on, and set up a business which he used to create cloned vehicle registration planes for the stolen cars. Zeeshan Ali was a ‘trusted outlet’ for the cars and parts.

The members of the gang now face an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

In January 2022, six men were sentenced in connection with the conspiracy.

• Asif Hussain, then 44, of Tonge Moor Road, Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to handle stolen goods, conspiracy to export and fraud. He was jailed for 15 years.
• Hadir Ali, then 27, of Lee Street, Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to handle stolen goods and conspiracy to export. He was jailed for 11 years.
• Saijid Jangharia, then 37, of Willows Lane, Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to export. He was jailed for ten years.
• Ibraaz Shafique, then 23, of Camberwell Street, Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to handle stolen goods, conspiracy to export and fraud. He was jailed for five years.
• Tayub Hasnain, then 37, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to handle stolen goods and was jailed for five years and six months.
• Mohammed Abdullah, then 23, of Lee Street, Oldham, received a two year suspended prison sentence after admitting conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

On Friday, a further seven men were sentenced.

• Asif Matadar, 41, of Melbourne Road, Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.
• Shewaz Rehman, 29, of Hereford Street, Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiring to handle stolen goods and a separate count of controlling and coercive behaviour committed against his wife. He was jailed for a total of four years and nine months.
• Imran Taj, 43, of Malvern Road, Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiring to handle stolen goods. He was jailed for four years.
• Zeeshan Ali, 34, of Ennerdale Terrance, Tameside, pleaded guilty to conspiring to handle stolen goods. He was jailed for three years and nine months.
• Adam Elwood, 30, of Kingston Avenue, Chadderton, pleaded guilty conspiring to handle stolen goods, handling stolen goods, possession with intent to supply a class B drug, possession of cocaine, dangerous driving and possession of cannabis. He was sentenced to six years in prison.
• Mohammed Irfan, 26, of Malvern Street, Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiring to handle stolen goods. He was jailed for three years.
• James Hopkinson, 29, of Seatoller Court, Oldham, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods. He was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for a year, and was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

After the hearing, Detective Constable Allan Barker, from GMP's Serious Organised Crime Group, said: “This has been a long and complex investigation, and I am grateful to the Crown Prosecution Service who have given their time, expertise, and insight throughout this entire process. I am particularly grateful to our victims who came forward and enabled us to bring such a strong case against these men.

“This gang were extremely organised and had sophisticated connections in prominent areas across the globe, meaning they were able to ship millions of pounds of stolen cars and vehicle parts overseas. The transnational nature of this group meant international collaboration was essential to this investigation, and ultimately led to the arrest these men.

"We will continue to collaborate and share intelligence with our international partners to make sure no one gets off lightly and they face justice for their crimes at home.”