The father-of-two offered cannabis for sale to his followers using an account under the name ‘Chinatown Hash’
Shehryar Mirza, of Eldersfield Road in Norris Green, aged 29(Image: Merseyside Police)
A drugs “retailer” went back to his old ways within months of being released from prison and began selling cannabis over Instagram. Shehryar Mirza gained hundreds of followers after setting up an account under the name “Chinatown Hash” on the social media platform.
However, police were easily able to identify him as being the man behind the plot due to him using the same phone number which he had given them in order to register the profile. A judge today branded his actions as “stupid” and remarked that the “operation was bound to be uncovered and traced directly back to him”.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Tuesday, Mirza registered an account with the username “Chinatown1Hash707” on Instagram in April this year. The 29-year-old, of Eldersfield Road in Norris Green, subsequently gained a total of 341 followers as he offered “various strains of cannabis” for sale using the profile.
Having described Mirza as a “retail drug dealer”, Christopher Taylor, prosecuting, detailed how the defendant had earlier notified Merseyside Police of the phone number which he used to create the account as part of a criminal behaviour order which he had previously been subjected to. This led to a search warrant being executed at his address on October 6, with a handset containing the relevant SIM card being seized from the property alongside a small quantity of cocaine.
Officers then sent a message to the Chinatown Hash account and soon saw a linked Instagram notification flash on the screen of Mirza’s device. Mr Taylor added: “This criminality was almost inevitably going to be discovered.”
Mirza has nine previous convictions for 13 offences, including a 10-month sentence for possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply in 2019 and being handed 45 months for possession of heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cannabis in May last year. The latter related to him being stopped and searched and found in possession of drugs and a mobile phone which contained “evidence of drug messages”.
Simran Garcha, defending, told the court: “He is hoping to seek employment on his release. Since being remanded into custody, he has sought various positions working in the laundry department and as a wing cleaner. He has maintained good conduct since being remanded. He expresses his sincere remorse through me.
“His offending is as a result of his own addiction. He has had a long standing addiction to cannabis. It began in 2013, influenced by peers and social surroundings. It began recreationally but led to a dependency, leading to him funding his addiction with his own small scale supply.
“When released from his last sentence, he had a short placement in Norris Green. During that period, he struggled with his cannabis dependency. That was easily accessible within that accommodation.
“Since being remanded into custody, he has reconnected with his family. I believe that his father sits at the back of court. He recognises the disappointment that he caused them.
“He is a father to two young children, aged five and six. They have, perhaps, given him the realisation that he needs to change his life. He wants to be a good father to them upon his release.”
Mirza admitted offering to supply cannabis and possession of cocaine. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a grey tracksuit top, he was jailed for a total of 12 months.
This will be served concurrently with the 45-month term which he has been recalled to prison in relation to, which he is now not due to be released from until February 2028. Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: “No sooner had you been released on licence, you commenced a retail business on Instagram, offering cannabis for supply.
“It was stupid, in that you had registered the setting up of the Instagram account in the terms of a criminal behaviour order. You then used that account to offer cannabis for supply. It was an operation that was bound to have been uncovered and traced directly back to you.
“You were offering cannabis of different strains to users. You had 341 people subscribed to your Instagram page. It is clearly aggravated by your previous convictions.”