Though Shiraz had fled leaving his wife to face the music
Salina Sharif,47 and Shiraz Amjad Sharif 46, both of Milford Avenue, have been jailed today, at Manchester Crown Court after being found guilty of money laundering.
Salina was sentenced to two and a half years, whilst Shiraz, who was also convicted of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, was sentenced four and a half years. He was sentenced in his absence after he fled the country prior to the court case, leaving his wife to stand trial alone.
Back in June 2014, found £30,000 worth of 90% pure crystallised MDMA along with a large amount of drug paraphernalia at Shiraz’s home.
A subsequent investigation was able to establish that despite neither having a job and Salina claiming she was a student and accepting a £1,000 student loan and tax credits for their three children, the pair lived a lavish lifestyle.
Purchases by the couple in recent years included a £60,000 Range Rover, designer goods from Armani, Kurt Geiger and Gucci worth over £30,500 and a family holiday to Florida which cost over £42,000.
The couple also spent close to £100,000 putting their three children through private school.
Prior to fleeing to Islamabad in May 2016, Shiraz was driving around in a top of the range Audi A6 and also spent thousands on designer goods and luxuries as well as sending money transfers to family in Pakistan.
Between 2008 and July 2014, the pair had deposited almost £500,000 cash into their bank accounts, despite claiming to be unemployed.
Detective Constable Dave Berry of GMP’s City of Manchester team:
“Having lead on this investigation since 2014 and seen first-hand the lifestyle the Sharif’s lived, I can honestly say it is staggering that they would have the audacity to live so lavishly yet think they wouldn’t get caught.
“They brazenly flaunted their riches despite claiming to be unemployed yet dropped their children off at an expensive private school in a £60,000 Range Rover.
“I hope this will read as a cautionary tale to anyone who thinks they can revel in their ill-gotten gains and get away with it. It may seem like a great idea when you’re flying to destinations like Florida and the Egyptian Red Sea but that feeling will soon turn to regret when you’re sat in a prison cell.”
