Gun-running drug dealer followed his 'role model' dad into life of crime

A TEENAGER followed his gangster dad into crime and began gun running and drug-dealing with his help.

- ANDREW BARDSLEY

Junnaid Tufail, just 19 when he became involved, said he regarded his father Asim Tufail as his 'role model. Asim, 52, had spent much of his son's childhood in jail, after previously being sentenced to 14 years for drug dealing.

But after his release Asim simply carried on committing crime, adding firearms trafficking and an international money laundering operation to his underworld CV.

Asim was also called in by other criminals to assist with 'enforcement' in underworld disputes, Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

"Father and son were in it together and were regarded as such by their customers," prosecutor Tim Storrie KC said.

"He is not in court for his parenting standards," Judge Jonathan Seely said of Asim. "It isn't a court of morals either." Asim was jailed for 23 years. The judge said he was committing crime 'at a very high level indeed. Tufail's son, now 23, is due to be sentenced at a later date. The pair lived in Northenden.

Asim outwardly appeared to be a 'profitable businessman' who enjoyed 'the trappings of wealth, but the true source of his riches was revealed by law enforcement hacking of the EncroChat communications network.