Pakistani global drug-trafficking kingpin arrested in London

London: A Pakistani national known as "the Sultan" in the global drug-trafficking network has been arrested in a major joint UK-US operation in London, authorities have announced.

Muhammad Asif Hafeez, who was arrested in London's Regent's Park area, faces extradition to the US.

Hafeez, 58, is alleged to be the head of an organisation spanning Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, that produced and smuggled drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, or crystal meth, and ephedrine.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) in London said it worked with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to investigate Hafeez after he was allegedly identified as the source of large quantities of heroin being smuggled into Kenya from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In New York, officials said Hafeez was arrested based on his participation in drug-trafficking activities involving large, and in some instances multi-tonne, quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and methamphetamine precursor chemicals.

Each charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The United States plans to seek Hafeez's extradition from the United Kingdom, they said.

"The arrest of Muhammad Asif Hafeez is another win in the fight against global criminals and one of DEA's priority targets," said DEA Special Operations Division Special Agent- in-Charge Raymond Donovan.

"He has been allegedly linked to a transnational criminal organisation responsible for manufacturing and distributing ton quantities of narcotics. Removing criminals like Hafeez benefits not just the citizens of London, but communities worldwide," he said.

Acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon H Kim said, Hafeez was a "long-time, priority target of the DEA known as the 'Sultan,' trafficked in drugs on a massive and global scale to manufacture and distribute enormous quantities of heroin and methamphetamine around the world and into the United States.

Prosecutors said Hafeez and some co-conspirators tried to establish a methamphetamine-production facility in Mozambique as part of the conspiracy to import methamphetamine into the US, but were forced to abandon the plan after authorities seized about 18 tonnes of ephedrine from a factory in Solapur, Maharashtra.

Hafeez is said to own two properties in London, and spend most of his time in Dubai, the Guardian reported.

He appeared at Westminster magistrates court yesterday for the start of extradition proceedings to the US, it said.

From Kenya and Mozambique to London and New York, Hafeez's alleged drug operation saw no borders or boundaries until now, the DEA said in a press release.