Nelson teen found with cash and drugs stashed above oven

Mohammed Akmal Khan, who was 17 at the time, was clocked by police along with a co-defendant, Sohail Akram, at a McDonald’s drive-thru on March 10, 2022.

Police attempted to stop the car, which Akram was driving, due to it being uninsured, and an officer told Akram to turn the engine off.

However, Preston Crown Court heard how he, and Khan, who according to the officers appeared nervous, sped off from police.

Mohammed Akmal Khan (Image: Lancs Police)

Akram and Khan were later stopped at junction 12 of the M65 and a search of their vehicle carried out, with police finding 14 wraps of crack cocaine, an iPhone, a Nokia burner phone, and £261.60 in cash.

Prosecuting, Holly Menary said data from the Nokia was downloaded and revealed messages that referred to the supply of drugs.

Both defendants were interviewed but provided no comment, although Ms Menary said Akram told police that he smoked around 7g of cannabis per day.

Akram, who was 22 at the time, and Khan, were released under investigation.

While still under investigation for the 2022 offence, Khan was observed by police on August 1, 2023, conducting a drug deal in the Larch Street area of Nelson.

He was followed and arrested, again, and officers found him in possession of £100 in cash and a mobile phone.

Ms Menary told the court that when police conducted a subsequent search of Khan’s home, a man bag was recovered which had £675 in cash inside.

She said: “The bathroom window was open and outside officers found a tub and a set of scales.

“The tub contained 15 wraps of heroin worth £775.

Sohail Akram (Image: Lancs Police)

“Cash, £565, was also recovered from the extractor hood of the oven in the kitchen, and there were also 329 wraps of crack cocaine found there worth an estimated £3,290.

“Khan was interviewed and answered no comment and was released on bail pending further investigation.”

Ms Menary said that unbelievably, some two months later, while still under investigation for the March 2022 offences, and while on bail for the August offences, officers again spotted Khan in the street and made attempts to speak with him.

However, he ran away, and a short chase ensued in which Khan was seen discarding items as he fled, before making his way into his own home.

Again, he was arrested and was found with £564 in cash and a number of SIM cards.

Ms Menary told the court that when officers went back to recover the discarded items, they found a mobile phone and 26 wraps of crack cocaine, worth an estimated £640.

She said: “He was interviewed and again gave no comment.”

Khan, now 19, of Southfield Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, possession with intent to supply heroin, and possession of heroin and crack cocaine.

He has no previous convictions aside from two youth cautions.

Akram, now 24, of Dover Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply crack cocaine.

Akram has 17 convictions for 36 offences and is already serving a three year and nine-month sentence for previous drugs offences and harassment matters.

Mitigating for Khan, Graham Rishton said his client had developed a drug habit of his own, leaving him at the mercy of the dealers who he was indebted to, and took to supplying to pay off that debt.

He said: “He’s got very little to show for it, the majority of his benefit was simply to pay for his own drug use.”

For Akram, Kristian Cavanagh said the 24-year-old had made progress in prison and asked Judge Andrew Jefferies to bear in mind totality when sentencing his client.

Khan was sentenced to four years and four months in a young offender’s institute.

Akram was jailed for nine months, to run consecutively with his current sentence.