Ten Sentenced After £19 Million ‘Vintage Clothing’ Cannabis Smuggling Ring Smashed

Ten members of an organised crime gang have been sentenced for their roles in a sophisticated multi-million pound cannabis importation plot operating out of Rochdale and Heywood.

A major investigation by Greater Manchester Police revealed that the group orchestrated at least 28 separate importations between December 2022 and January 2024. To evade detection, the gang disguised the illegal shipments as, "vintage clothing", using fake businesses and stolen or borrowed identities to mask their activities.

The scale of the operation was vast. While five shipments were intercepted by authorities—leading to the recovery of nearly 130 kg of cannabis with a street value of £3.7 million—officers estimate the wider conspiracy could have generated as much as £19.3 million.


The Ringleaders and Sentences

At the head of the operation was Dean Hussain, of no fixed address, whom police identified as the group’s leader. He was jailed for six years and nine months.

Three other key members received significant custodial sentences:

• Prince Oyewo, of Dumbarton Drive, Heywood, was jailed for five years and 10 months.
• Beverley Tsimba, of Lewis Drive, Rochdale, was jailed for five years and two months.
• Elliot McBurnie, of Claymere Avenue, Rochdale, was jailed for four years and six months.

Six other defendants were handed suspended sentences for their involvement:

• Junyad Ahmed, of Sladen Street, Rochdale: Two-year sentence suspended for two years.
• Ryan Brosnan, of Cavendish Road, Rochdale: 22-month sentence suspended for two years.
• Louis Dissington, of Moorside, Rochdale: 22-month sentence suspended for two years.
• Leigha Collins, of Brookdale Street, Failsworth: 18-month sentence suspended for two years.
• Tyler McNally, of Moorside, Rochdale: 18-month sentence suspended for two years.
• Marshall Howarth, of Darley Road, Rochdale: 17-month sentence suspended for two years.

A ‘Sophisticated’ Network

Police described the network as, "highly organised", noting the considerable lengths the gang went to in order to fly under the radar. By creating a front of legitimate trade in vintage fashion, they managed to move huge quantities of drugs destined for distribution across the UK.

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police highlighted the importance of the joint operation with the UK Border Force in dismantling the group.

"This was a highly organised and sophisticated criminal network operating on a large scale", a spokesperson said. 

They attempted to make their shipments appear as ordinary as they possibly could. In reality, these shipments contained significant quantities of illegal drugs destined for distribution across our communities.