Three individuals, including a prominent cocaine trafficker, a nightclub owner doubling as a drug courier, and a recently divorced father, have admitted guilt in connection with a drug operation in Winnipeg. Mohamed Ali, Abdullah Khan, and Ahmed Dini were implicated in Project Roasted, an extensive investigation into a drug trafficking network that culminated in their arrests. The trio was apprehended with two kilograms of cocaine as they left Stella’s on Pembina Highway.
Following concerns of a potential compromise in the drug investigation involving corrupt practices by then-Winnipeg police officer Elston Bostock, authorities obtained a warrant to examine the seized cellphones. The investigation revealed ties between Ali’s associates and Bostock, who was subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison for various corruption offenses.
Ali, identified as a high-level cocaine trafficker, confessed to trafficking cocaine in Winnipeg and Niverville between October 2023 and February 2024. Meanwhile, Khan, who owned the Moonlight Lounge nightclub, was involved in transporting drugs and obstructing justice, receiving a total sentence of seven years.
Ahmed Dini, a father of eight, was also caught in the drug bust, with crack cocaine discovered at his residence. Despite facing financial struggles due to a divorce, Dini engaged in drug activities, a decision he now deeply regrets. He was sentenced to a two-year conditional term followed by two years of supervised probation.
While charges against two other implicated individuals were dropped, specific reasons for these actions were not disclosed by federal prosecutors. The defendants’ convictions shed light on the illicit drug trade in Winnipeg and the diverse backgrounds of those involved.