Drug dealer who fled the country jailed after police found him hiding in his parents' loft

Faaris Zaman, who was described as a ‘significant and trusted drug dealer’ fled the UK in 2020 after being arrested by National Crime Agency officers working under Operation Venetic – the UK, NCA-led response to the takedown of encrypted comms platform EncroChat.

The 27-year-old used the handle ‘oraclewarrior’ on the platform to supply cocaine and heroin and handle £1.3m in criminal profits.

He was first arrested in July 2020 when NCA officers searched his family’s home in Ashgrove, Bradford. They found £89,000 in cash, a vacuum packing machine, debtor lists, handwritten notes detailing buyers, prices and pick-up vehicles, all of which illustrated Zaman’s drugs supply deals dating back to at least October 2018.

He gave a no comment interview and was released under investigation, but then fled the UK. He managed to slip back into the country undetected by was arrested in October 2023 when a three-hour search of the family home found him hiding in the loft.

He was charged with and subsequently admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to possess criminal property at Bradford Crown Court in March 2024.

His messages on the EncroChat platform showed how he spoke to other organised criminals to deal multiple kilos of cocaine and heroin – moving hundreds of thousands of pounds at a time.

In April 2020, Zaman contacted another user who arranged for cash to be delivered to him for counting. A picture of wads of bank notes was recovered from the device with messages confirming almost £140,000 had been received. Other messages showed Zaman in conversation with others about picking up hundreds of thousands of pounds from locations in the north of England on numerous occasions.

In May 2020, Zaman had a conversation with two users to try and provide a sample of ‘bottoms’ [heroin], describing it as ‘grade 8, clean taste’. He sent a picture of the drugs to the user before delivering some to two addresses in Bradford.

Zaman told the NCA he was primarily a money launderer on behalf of other Encrochat users but then also became involved in the supply of class A drugs. He said he was not a leader in the group, acting on instructions from other users.

He was sentenced to 11 years and seven months in prison at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday (May 22).

NCA Operations Manager Nigel Coles said: “Faaris Zaman has suggested he played a lesser role in this drugs supply network but this was high level serious and organised criminality where his messages showed he was a significant and trusted operator.

“The messages obtained under Operation Venetic led us straight to Zaman who thought he was operating above law enforcement. The NCA is committed to protecting the public against criminals like Zaman, who fuel the illegal drugs trade, and will continue in our work to bring them to justice.”