A 26-year-old from Walthamstow is today facing a lengthy jail term after being convicted of conspiring to import heroin from Pakistan. 

Zohaib Shah, of Greenacre Gardens, was found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court on October 17 alongside Muhammed Fayaz, 26, of Vicarage Farm Road, Hounslow, Luqman Shah, 25, of Delamere Road, Hayes, and Adnan Malik, 29, of no fixed address. 

In total, six men were arrested by detectives following a seven-month intelligence-led operation, supported by the Border Force, the National Crime Agency and Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics team in Karachi. 

A suspicious package first arrived at Coventry International postal hub on October 8 last year and officials discovered Indian restaurant menus created under the false business name Royal Spice stuffed with heroin worth an estimated £75,000. 

The package was addressed to a house in Hayes, Middlesex, but detectives were unable to find the exact recipients. 

Three weeks later, police at Jinnah airport in Karachi found £67,000 of heroin concealed in the lining of baby's clothing which was destined for an address in Hounslow and linked to Zahid Shah, of Windsor Gardens in Hayes. 

Following his arrest on November 4, detectives found thousands of text messages on Shah's phone linking him to the other gang members and drug supply, with one message saying: "Let the business grow, we'll kick some arse before we go home!"  

Mastermind Omar Farooq Islam, 24, of Olive Crescent in Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import heroin in July, alongside Shah of Windsor Gardens.

Farooq, a tyre repair company owner, also had £19,000 cash seized after officers raided two of his properties in Oldham. 

Zohaib Shah was arrested following a series of raids carried out over a three-month period after his accomplice was detained in early November. 

Detective Sergeant Jim Barry, of Hillingdon CID, said: "These individuals sought opportunities to exploit the procedures that are in place to protect the public from drugs importation. 

"To their detriment, they were unaware that the Met and its partner agencies, were working together to rapidly dismantle this drugs ring. 

"The removal of over one million pounds of heroin is a significant win for us as investigators, the public, and those who would have suffered the devastating effects of this drug."

In total 12 packages were intercepted in London, Oldham and Manchester containing 5.25 kilos of heroin with an estimated street value of £1,113.212.

Deputy Director of the NCA's border policing command, Hank Cole, added:"This crime group thought they could hide from the law by concealing the drugs in restaurant menus and baby clothes. How wrong they were.

"Together with our partner agencies, we will continue to relentlessly pursue groups like this."

They will be sentenced today as Isleworth Crown Court.