He claimed to be “untouchable” in taunting messages to the police when on the run abroad is now starting a 12-year sentence behind bars.
Drug dealer Adnan Khan shamelessly posed alongside flash cars wearing expensive designer watches and brandishing a variety of guns, after fleeing to Pakistan.
Khan, 32-year-old fled from the UK when a former girlfriend, Amy Schreder, of Huncote, Leicestershire, was captured with 1.5 kilos of high purity cocaine, along with crack cocaine, cutting agents and £46,000 in cash, in December 2016.
Police tried to stop Khan the same day, because he was linked to the drugs seizure, he led them on a pursuit, causing a family car to spin off the road, although the occupants were not seriously injured.
Judge Nicholas Dean QC said it was “remarkable” that Khan, having been arrested at the end of the pursuit, and also found in possession of cannabis, was released on bail the next day – because he then went to Pakistan and failed to attend court, in January 2017
Khan, a married father, began posting taunting and boastful messages with photographs on Instagram – including: “They say my whole team is under investigation, but you know what I say, the wise man always gets away.”
He also stated, alongside a gun-toting photo: “Who the **** says you can’t live it up in a Third World Country when you’re connected up to **** and you’re also a gangster yourself.”
However, he proved to be far from “untouchable” when the police swooped following his return to the UK, in April last year.
Officers caught him red-handed in a flat on Melton Road, Syston, with a high purity stash of 372g of heroin and 185g of cocaine hidden under a water tank, along with £3,000 in cash, and used packaging from about three kilos of class A drugs, which revealed the extent of his dealing operation.
Sentencing Khan, Judge Dean said: “At the end of 2016 you were involved in drugs, together with Miss Schreder, who played a lesser role … you were in the leading role.”
He said it was “miraculous” no-one was killed in the high-speed police chase.
Judge Dean said: “It was remarkable you were given police bail (in December 2016) but you were, and you absconded.
“On social media you boasted about your activities; I take the view most of it was boasting or untrue.
“It’s clear you had contacts, or a network involved in drug activity in this country and you were quickly able to resume trade in heroin and cocaine on your return.”
Douglas Stuart, mitigating, said Khan was a former class A drug addict and when he came out of prison last time he settled down with his wife and had a family, but later relapsed which led to him back into dealing.
Regarding the Instagram posts from overseas, he said they were “more bravado than anything else”.
He made full admissions when he was eventually arrested following an investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), and had since become drug free while on remand.
Khan, who was also banned from driving for seven years, pleaded guilty to:
- Conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, in December 2016
- Aggravated vehicle taking and driving dangerously, in December 2016
- Failing to stop for police and having no driving licence, MOT or insurance, in December 2016
- Failing to appear at magistrates’ court in January 2017
- Possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply in April 2018
- Possessing a mobile phone in prison in June 201
EMSOU Investigator Hazel Score said: “Despite trying to hide from police, Khan couldn’t turn away from a life of crime.
“However, due to the committed work of our officers, he’s now been handed a significant custodial sentence.
