A GANG who used a hand car wash to run a crack cocaine and cannabis operation in East Lancashire have been jailed for almost 20 years.

Businessman Abid Hussain and his five accomplices used the Big Shine car wash, off Victoria Way, Rawtenstall, as a cover for a ‘sophisticated’ supply ring, Burnley Crown Court was told.

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Hussain also tried to launder £47,000 of drug-dealing profits through his brother’s bank account as customers visited the car wash for deals.

One of his drugs couriers, Robert Millar, also hired no fewer than seven cars in two months as he ferried drugs to the gang’s ‘hub’.

Another gang member, Tanveer Hussain, based in Bradford, acted as a ‘telephone exchange’ and avoided contact with the drugs and customers, the court heard.

It is understood the car wash is under new ownership, police said.

Abid Hussain, 32, of Wheatholme Street, Rawtenstall, who admitted conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and cannabis, and money laundering, was jailed for six years and six months.

Millar, 33, of Broadway, Haslingden, who admitted both conspiracies and producing cannabis, was jailed for four years.

Tanveer Hussain, 32, of Lingwood Avenue, Bradford, and Asam Iltaf, 37, of Cleaver Street, Burnley, who also each pleaded guilty to both conspiracies, received 40-month and 27-month jail sentences respectively.

Imran Mahmood, 28, of Hardman Avenue, Rawtenstall, who admitted having a role in the cannabis conspiracy and one charge of supplying cocaine, was jailed for 31 months.

Passing sentence, Judge Robert Altham, referring to Abid Hussain, said: “He used his car wash as a hub for his drug-dealing business.

“It was principally used as a cover to provide some legitimate means of meeting with others. Police also found, at the car wash, bags and scales, some of which were contaminated with traces of drugs. The car wash was used to throw a cloak of legitimacy around what he was doing.”

Prosecutor Michael Blakey said that the defendants could all be linked together by a number of mobile phone numbers, but Tanveer Hussain acted as the ‘exchange’ for the conspirators.

Millar was arrested after being stopped by detectives in Laneshawbridge, near Colne, while returning from the Bradford area, with 25 small plastic bags containing crack.

Mahmood’s home was raided and 230grams of skunk cannabis was found growing there. Iltaf worked for the gang for around 16 days after Millar was detained and was seen to visit the car wash at least three times.

Robert Elias, defending Abid Hussain, said it was clear there were others, positioned above his client, who supplied the drugs involved in the conspiracy.

Clare Ashcroft, for Millar, said the defendant had a long-standing drugs problem and had been working to pay off debts to dealers.

Mark Stuart, for Mahmood, said the defendant, a taxi driver father-of-three, had also been working to pay off his drug suppliers. He has looked after his children during the day while his wife works.

Judge Altham also heard that Iltaf had secured employment as a takeaway worker, despite initially being on a court-enforced curfew, and Tanveer Hussain had been working for ‘limited rewards’.