**Drug Empire Duo Fail in Appeals to Reduce Lengthy Jail Sentences Following £26m Cocaine Operation**
Two businessmen found guilty of orchestrating a multi-million-pound cocaine smuggling scheme have seen their latest attempts to shorten their prison time firmly rejected. Jonathan Cassidy and his associate Nasar Ahmed, both central figures in a major criminal network, were behind a sophisticated plan to import huge quantities of cocaine worth an estimated £26 million from South America into the United Kingdom.
The operation came crashing down after law enforcement agencies managed to penetrate the encrypted communications system EncroChat, a tool favoured by organised crime gangs to evade detection. The intelligence haul from EncroChat messages revealed the full scale and reach of the syndicate’s activity, unravelling a network that spanned across the North of England and beyond.
At the centre of the drug ring was Jonathan Cassidy, believed to be the gang’s ringleader. His younger brother, Jamie Cassidy, a former football prodigy once hailed as a future Liverpool FC star, also played a significant role in distributing the narcotics throughout the country. Jamie once shared youth pitches with notable names such as Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher before his life took a dramatic turn towards crime.
Throughout the police investigation, it emerged that Jonathan Cassidy had attempted to escape justice by fleeing overseas after learning the authorities had gained access to the gang’s encrypted messages. However, his brief stint abroad ended in arrest upon his return, apparently spurred by his belief that detectives were no longer pursuing him. Officers investigating the case later reported that Cassidy had made lavish plans to purchase high-end properties, including a villa priced at £2 million and luxurious furnishings, whilst amassing significant amounts of cash, designer clothes, and a Rolex, all seized during his arrest.
Nasar Ahmed, meanwhile, was characterised by law enforcement as the operation’s financial mastermind. Residing in a modest semi-detached home in Bury but known to lead a double life spending long stretches in Dubai, Ahmed’s dual lifestyles exemplified the large profits and global connections typical of high-level drug trafficking enterprises.
In May 2024, Manchester Crown Court handed down lengthy custodial sentences to both Cassidy and Ahmed. Each received a prison term of 21 years and nine months, reflecting the seriousness of their crimes and the complexities of their international operation. Jamie Cassidy, tried separately, was sentenced to 13 years and three months for his part in the conspiracy.
After sentencing, Cassidy and Ahmed’s legal representatives mounted an appeals campaign, arguing that the Honourable Mr Justice Nicholas Dean KC, who presided over the original trial, had imposed sentences disproportionately lengthy and failed to adequately recognise their early admissions of guilt. Nevertheless, a panel of senior judges, led by Lord Justice Fraser, reviewed the case and found no merit in the arguments presented, firmly upholding the original terms.
The prosecution provided compelling evidence of the criminal group’s involvement in not only the supply and distribution of Class A drugs, but also the laundering of substantial proceeds derived from those activities. The court heard how Cassidy and Ahmed pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charges, including the unlawful importation of drugs and transferring criminal property. Their guilty pleas ultimately did little to mitigate the severity of the outcome.
This case offers yet another glimpse into the evolving tactics of organised criminals, the adaptability of law enforcement, and the significant consequences awaiting those at the heart of such illicit enterprises. With the international scope and sophistication of their operation laid bare in court, both men now face the full weight of the law.
Further details surrounding Jamie Cassidy’s involvement were not part of this latest appeal, leaving his sentence unchanged. The dismantling of this organisation serves as a cautionary tale to those enticed by the lure of quick wealth and status, standing as a stark reminder of the personal and legal costs that such illicit trade inevitably brings.
As digital forensics and collaboration between international police forces become increasingly effective, authorities warn that escape routes are dwindling for those who continue to gamble with the law in the world of organised crime.