A 64-year-old man has been jailed for eight years after he attempted to smuggle 5,000 MDMA tablets to Pakistan in six tubs of chocolate.
Hassan Akhtar, of Maidenhead, was jailed at Reading Crown Court after he attempted to send the Class A drugs, which have a street value of £70,000, using the DHL courier service.
The drugs were hidden in six tubs of Celebrations chocolates and were discovered by a courier after he collected the parcel. Akhtar, who was chairman of the trust that runs Maidenhead Mosque, was later identified in CCTV footage.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Rob Hood, of Thames Valley Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit, said: “Akhtar was clearly looking to profit from selling drugs, and thought that by concealing them in chocolate tubs that they would not be detected.
“Thames Valley Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit carried out a detailed investigation into this incident and we are pleased that Akhtar will no longer be dealing drugs in our communities.
“We would always urge the public to report any issues of drug dealing, as your reports can help us to investigate crimes, bring offenders to justice and seek to prevent drug dealing in our communities.”
In a statement released after the verdict, Maidenhead Mosque secretary Sajid Khan told the Windsor Observer:
“We are deeply saddened to learn that a former member of the trust has been found to be involved in activities which are contrary to our beliefs and values.
“Mr Akhtar resigned shortly after he was arrested, which was duly accepted.”