A ruthless gang involved in a £500,000 stolen goods scam has been dismantled, with its leader sentenced to prison after a lengthy investigation revealed their sophisticated fraud operation.
The Economic and Cyber Crime Unit began probing the case in 2017 when a lorry carrying frozen chicken valued at €75,000 arrived at an Oldham haulage yard. The shipment was fraudulently purchased using cloned credit insurance details from a legitimate UK company.
What initially appeared to be a single incident involving frozen chicken soon exposed a widespread European fraud racket. Authorities identified 13 companies across Europe that had been defrauded, losing stock including milk powder, olive oil, electronics, fruit syrup, and various meats.
The stolen goods involved in the scam included:
- Milk powder
- Olive oil
- Chicken and turkey
- Almonds
- Fruit syrup
- Electronics
- Meat
The gang funneled these goods through UK haulage yards, most notably one operated by Paul Barrett in Rochdale. The items were also handled at the now-closed Manchester Food Traders site, where several suspects were arrested.
Devinder Singh, the gang’s leader from Swinton, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison at Bolton Crown Court on 20th February 2026. His accomplices also received sentences: Zakaria Dean of Bolton was jailed for two years and nine months, while Mohammad Farid of Manchester was given a two-year suspended sentence along with 20 days of rehabilitation.
“This verdict sends a clear message: fraudsters dealing in stolen goods won’t escape justice,” stated the lead investigator.
Originally published by UKNIP.
