Three individuals, including a high-level cocaine trafficker, a nightclub owner serving as a drug courier, and a divorced father, have admitted their involvement in a drug bust in Winnipeg. Mohamed Ali, Abdullah Khan, and Ahmed Dini were apprehended as part of Project Roasted, an extensive probe into a drug trafficking network. The arrests took place following a surveillance operation that led to the seizure of approximately two kilograms of cocaine from one of the suspects’ vehicles outside Stella’s on Pembina Highway.
An investigation into potential compromise of the drug case by a corrupt officer prompted authorities to obtain a warrant to search one of the suspects’ cellphones. The warrant aimed to establish a connection between Mohamed Ali, his associates, and former Winnipeg police officer Elston Bostock, who was later sentenced to seven years in prison for various corruption-related offenses.
Evidence from the cellphone data revealed incriminating photos of Bostock with criminal associates and text messages indicating Bostock’s involvement in looking up police information for the accused individuals.
Prosecutors disclosed that information about Ali’s cocaine trafficking activities triggered the launch of Project Roasted. The investigation uncovered significant amounts of cocaine, cash, and drug-related items during covert entries at Ali’s residence in Niverville, Manitoba.
During court proceedings, it was revealed that Ali was the primary figure directing drug trafficking activities, while Khan, the nightclub owner, played a key role in distributing the drugs. Khan pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking and attempting to obstruct justice in a separate case related to an incident at his nightclub.
Similarly, Dini, described as a hard-working father, was also implicated in the drug operation. Police found crack cocaine in his apartment during the arrests of Ali and Khan. Dini admitted to storing drugs at a vulnerable point in his life and expressed remorse for his actions.
The court sentenced Dini to a conditional two-year term, followed by two years of supervised probation, as part of a plea agreement. Charges against two other co-accused individuals in the case were stayed, with reasons undisclosed by federal prosecutors.