Three individuals, including a high-level cocaine trafficker, a nightclub owner acting as a drug courier, and a divorced father, have admitted to their involvement in a drug bust in Winnipeg. Mohamed Ali, Abdullah Khan, and Ahmed Dini were charged in 2024 as part of an investigation known as Project Roasted, targeting a drug trafficking network. The arrests took place at different locations, with one individual apprehended at home and the other two taken into custody outside Stella’s on Pembina Highway while carrying approximately two kilograms of cocaine in their vehicle.
The police investigation raised concerns about potential corruption involving a former Winnipeg police officer, Elston Bostock. Bostock, a veteran constable, was sentenced to seven years in prison for multiple corruption-related offenses, including sharing confidential police information with external individuals. Subsequent scrutiny of cell phone data revealed connections between the accused individuals and Bostock, suggesting the illicit exchange of police information.
Federal prosecutors revealed that information on Ali’s cocaine trafficking activities initiated Project Roasted. The investigation involved multiple covert entries at Ali’s residence in Niverville, Manitoba, where authorities discovered cocaine, cash, and drug-related items. Ali, identified as a high-level trafficker, coordinated drug transactions, while Khan, the nightclub owner, facilitated the movement of drugs as a courier.
Khan, who also attempted to obstruct justice in a separate incident, admitted to transporting cocaine and was sentenced to seven years in prison. The court highlighted Khan’s financial challenges and debts as contributing factors to his involvement in illegal activities. Meanwhile, Dini, a father of eight, was found with crack cocaine in his possession during the arrests. Despite facing tough financial times and personal struggles, Dini agreed to store drugs at his residence, a decision he deeply regrets.
Dini received a conditional sentence and probation, acknowledging his poor judgment in getting involved in drug-related activities. Charges against two other individuals linked to Project Roasted were dropped, with federal prosecutors refraining from specifying reasons for the dismissal. The case shed light on the intricate network of drug trafficking and the repercussions faced by those entangled in such illicit operations.
