Two men jailed over heroin plot

Two Birmingham men have been jailed for plotting to smuggle more than 7kg of heroin into the UK.

Haider Zaman, 53, of Birchwood Road, was sentenced to nine years and Imran Khan, 27, from Mary Road, Handsworth, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Drugs found in Khan's suitcase had an estimated value of nearly £320,000, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said.

The men denied conspiracy to smuggle drugs but were convicted after trials at Isleworth Crown Court this year.

The pair were sentenced on Thursday.

Khan was arrested by officers from the UK Border Agency when he arrived at Heathrow Airport on 13 April 2008, following a four-day trip to Lahore, Pakistan, HMRC said.

Class A drugs were found concealed in the base of his suitcase, it added.

HMRC said the case was then passed to it to continue investigations.

It added it was discovered Khan's trip had been organised by Zaman, a drugs boss, who had planned to meet Khan to take delivery of the heroin.