Charlton, of Robin Close, Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, and conspiracy to conceal, convert, disguise and transfer criminal property.
Zaman, of Cable Street, Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to conceal, convert, disguise and transfer criminal property, and encouraging the commission of an offence abroad.
Det Insp Rick Castley, from Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Organised Crime Group, said Zaman and Charlton openly communicated on the Encrochat platform and “shared details of their daily lives in and amongst conducting criminal business, which has ultimately led to them going straight to prison”.
“By maintaining a hands-off role, he [Zaman] sought to use naive and trusted couriers like Debra Charlton to do his business, but she was actively complicit in Zaman’s exploitative trade,” he added.
