£500K Stolen Goods Racket Busted: Gang Boss Locked Up
A ruthless gang behind a £500,000 stolen goods scam has finally been slammed with jail after a long-running probe exposed their slick fraud operation.
Frozen Chicken Shipment Sparks Major Fraud Investigation
The Economic and Cyber Crime Unit kicked off the case back in 2017 when a lorry loaded with frozen chicken worth €75,000 rolled into an Oldham haulage yard. The catch? The haul was fraudulently bought using cloned credit insurance details from a legit UK company.
What started with chicken soon uncovered a sprawling European racket. Authorities found 13 companies ripped off across Europe, losing stock ranging from milk powder and olive oil to electronics and fruit syrup. The gang’s haul included:
- Milk powder
- Olive oil
- Chicken and turkey
- Almonds
- Fruit syrup
- Electronics
- Meat
Goods were funneled through UK haulage yards—most notably one operated by Paul Barrett in Rochdale—and handled at the now-shuttered Manchester Food Traders, where several suspects were arrested.
Gang Boss Devinder Singh Jailed 6½ Years
Devinder Singh, the ruthless ringleader from Swinton, was jailed for six years and six months at Bolton Crown Court on 20th February 2026.
His accomplices didn’t fare much better. Zakaria Dean of Bolton got two years and nine months, while Mohammad Farid of Manchester received a two-year suspended sentence plus 20 days of rehab.
“This verdict sends a clear message: fraudsters dealing in stolen goods won’t escape justice,” said the lead investigator.
