Cocaine boss continued to run drug ring from prison

A jailed drug lord continued to run a major cocaine network from his prison cell, a court has heard.

36-year-old Omar Din ordered his accomplices to distribute the drug across Manchester from behind bars.

He has now been jailed for a further 20 years at Manchester Crown Court after admitting taking cocaine.

Din “showed no signs of slowing down” while letting his employees do the “dirty work” for him, police said.

Drug experts estimate that the network was involved in the supply of 18 to 27 kilograms of the substance.

Din used an iPhone, found hidden in an orange practice roll during a prison search, to operate the network while serving a seven-year sentence for previous drug offences.

Greater Manchester Police examined the phone and found incoming messages from various contacts involved in the large-scale conspiracy.

The force said the network also discussed future international business opportunities, debtor lists, drug deal locations and large amounts of cash.

Din, who was believed to have ties to Holland, Hungary, Morocco and Albania, was questioned and charged in April.

He had already been convicted of supplying cocaine and heroin in 2021.

Due to his long criminal history, he was on the run for six years to avoid detection following an earlier investigation in 2013.

An international arrest warrant was issued and he was arrested while traveling from Istanbul to Sweden.

When he was arrested, police discovered he had two phones and £2,500 cash.

Det Insp James Coles said: “Din was fully aware of the illegality of his actions but still sought to profit from trading these highly destructive goods.

“By removing Omar Din from the chain of command, we have disrupted their operation and we will continue to identify those who report to him so we can dismantle the entire organized crime group.”