A criminal family has been sentenced to a total of seven years in prison for their part in a counterfeit clothing and drugs empire.
Mohammed Basit Chaudhry, 26, from Chorlton who ran counterfeit clothing firm Gino Trading with his family, was jailed yesterday for three years at Manchester Crown Court.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possessing a class B drug with intent and money laundering.
His bankrupt brother Mohammed Kamran Chaudhry, 30, was jailed for two years after admitting conspiracy to sell counterfeit goods and money laundering.
Their businessman father Abdul Hamid Chaudhry, 59, of Chatburn Road, Chorlton was jailed for 20 months after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell counterfeit goods and money laundering.
While their mother Shahnuz Akhtar Chaudhry, 57, was jailed for ten weeks after admitting mortgage fraud.
An investigation revealed the family – who wore expensive clothing, designer watches and holidayed in exotic locations – had their home lavishly furnished using cash from their ill-gotten gains
During raids officers recovered counterfeit clothing worth £250,000 and over seven kilograms of cannabis with a street value of around £70,000.
Detective Inspector Chris Mossop, of the Serious Crime Division, said: "The Chaudhry empire was a vast operation that netted them untold profits.
"They lived lavish lifestyles off the back of it while many people have been struggling to make ends meet in difficult financial times.
"They may have briefly enjoyed the trappings of so-called success, such as expensive watches and luxury holidays, but they are all distant memories to them now as they languish in jail.
"I hope today's sentence reminds people that we will not rest until we have brought criminals to justice, no matter how sophisticated or successful you think you are."
