Manchester Bar Owners Convicted in Major Drug Operation
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Manchester Bar Owners Convicted in Major Drug Operation
- A married couple who ran a Manchester bar has been convicted of conspiracy to supply and import Class A (MDMA) and Class B (Cannabis) drugs, with approximately 25kg of Class A and 7.5kg of Class B drugs seized, valued at an estimated £1.1 million.
- Guixiang Liu, 48, and Yanfeng He, 57, both of Moston, were convicted last month following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and are scheduled for sentencing on October 1 at Minshull Street Crown Court.
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A married couple from Moston, Guixiang Liu, 48, and Yanfeng He, 57, who operated a bar in Manchester’s Gay Village, have been found guilty of orchestrating a significant criminal drug operation. Their convictions, which occurred last month at Minshull Street Crown Court, followed an extensive investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The couple was convicted of conspiring to supply Class A (MDMA) and Class B (Cannabis) drugs, as well as conspiring to import these controlled substances. The NCA’s investigation uncovered a sophisticated scheme where drug parcels, marked with fictitious names, were shipped globally, facilitated through a Chinese messaging application. These parcels were intercepted by Border Force and were destined for five addresses controlled or occupied by the defendants, including Napoleons bar on Bloom Street, where Guixiang Liu was the business director and license holder. Other locations included their home in Moston, and properties in Doncaster and Edinburgh.
Authorities seized approximately 25kg of Class A drugs and 7.5kg of Class B drugs from these intercepted parcels, with a combined street value estimated at £1.1 million. A review of the couple’s phones revealed their use of WeChat to manage their illicit drug business. They were also found to be directing a courier in Scotland to collect and distribute drug parcels in Edinburgh or dispatch them overseas, primarily to countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Greater Manchester Police became aware of the NCA’s ongoing investigation, which began in 2019, only recently. The couple is due to be sentenced on October 1 at Minshull Street Crown Court.