Jailboss gun scam: Drug lord's 'informant' plot backfires

A convicted heroin trafficker thought he’d found a loophole to slash his sentence — but secret phones, coded calls and illegal weapons exposed a brazen con that blew up in his face.

A jailed heroin trafficker who believed he could game the justice system by posing as a firearms informant has instead seen his prison sentence significantly extended, after the plot was uncovered and prosecuted.

Ameran Zeb Khan, 47, was already serving a lengthy sentence for leading a major drugs conspiracy when he attempted to engineer what prosecutors described as a cynical and calculated scam — arranging the supply of illegal firearms so he could later “inform” on the plot in exchange for a reduced sentence.

An investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) established that Khan conspired with members of the Birmingham-based organised crime group he controlled while behind bars. From prison, Khan worked closely with his nephew and lieutenant, Sarweeth Rehman, 29, with whom he shared a cell. The pair coordinating activity on the outside.

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Using illicit mobile phones smuggled into prison, the pair communicated with three associates at liberty — brothers Khaibar Rahman, 28, of Acocks Green, and Akbar Rahman, 43, of Sparks Hill, along with Ahmed Hussain, 29, of South Yardley. The group discussed sourcing firearms and ammunition, using coded language such as “cars”, “car parts”, “make-up” and “pineapples” to disguise their meaning.

Phone evidence showed searches for weapons including handguns and automatic firearms, alongside research into the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 — legislation that allows sentence reductions in return for genuine assistance to law enforcement. Khan’s intention was clear: create a crime, then sell information about it.

Official prison landlines were also used to involve Khan’s wife, Gulshan Ara, 45, of Bordesley Green, who relayed instructions to those sourcing the weapons. The plot unravelled in September 2018 when NCA officers stopped a vehicle in Small Heath and recovered a converted blank-firing handgun and 16 rounds of ammunition. The driver, Iqrar Zamir, was later jailed for five years.

Further analysis of seized phones linked the wider group, leading to arrests by the NCA working alongside West Midlands Police. All defendants were ultimately prosecuted at Birmingham Crown Court.