International crime gang operating £3m 'chop shop' plot in Greater Manchester smashed

An international organised crime gang which orchestrated a £3 million ‘chop shop’ has been smashed.

Prestige cars including Range Rovers, Mercedes, Porsche and BMWs were stolen and shipped off to the Middle East, or broken down for parts. The expensive cars were often ‘stolen to order’ from driveways at night, or even in broad daylight or from shopping centres. The brazen Oldham based gang were linked to almost 100 stolen cars, which had been taken from across Greater Manchester or further afield.

The ringleader of the conspiracy and further five men were jailed in January 2022. Then, a judge expressed outrage after it was revealed that the OCG’s leader, Asif Hussain, had been able to secure a £50,000 Covid loan offered by the Government to help businesses struggling during the pandemic.

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Now more than two years later, a further seven members of the gang have finally faced justice for their roles in the staggering plot. Sentencing, Judge Neil Usher told Minshull Street Crown Court that the public at large were also affected by their crimes.

He told them: “The wider public are also victims of this type of offending, because insurance premiums are increasing because of the actions of criminals like you. The public is fed up of having to subsidise your activities through increasing insurance premiums.”

The judge described the outfit as ‘highly professional’ and ‘well organised’, using ‘sophisticated equipment’ to commit their crimes.

The ‘chop shops’, where stolen cars were broken down, were discovered by police in old mills in Oldham and Bury, as well as a unit in Wigan. The cars were often stolen in horrendous circumstances.