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 conducted by Winnipeg police, which was part of Project Roasted. Mohamed Ali, Abdullah Khan, and Ahmed Dini were charged in 2024 following an extensive investigation into a drug trafficking network. The operation culminated in one arrest at a residence and two others apprehended outside Stella’s on Pembina Highway with approximately two kilograms of cocaine in their possession.
Subsequent to concerns of potential compromise in the drug investigation due to a corrupt officer, police obtained a warrant to search a seized cellphone belonging to one of the accused. The warrant was based on suspicions of information leaks to organized crime members, including Mohamed Ali, allegedly facilitated by former Winnipeg police officer Elston Bostock. Bostock, a seasoned constable, was sentenced to seven years in prison for various corruption-related offenses, including divulging confidential police data to external sources.
Upon scrutinizing the cellphone data, law enforcement discovered incriminating photos of Bostock with criminal associates and text exchanges implicating Bostock in searching police information for Ali and his associates. Recent court proceedings shed light on the roles played by the convicted men in the drug operation and the circumstances that led them to participate in criminal activities.
A federal prosecutor revealed that information about Ali’s cocaine trafficking activities initiated Project Roasted. The investigation involved multiple search warrants, leading to the discovery of drugs, cash, and related items at Ali’s residence in Niverville, Manitoba. While Khan was involved in transporting the drugs, Ali was identified as orchestrating the drug transactions.
During Khan’s sentencing, it was disclosed that he owned the Moonlight Lounge nightclub and had no prior criminal record. Khan confessed to drug trafficking and obstructing justice in a separate incident related to a shooting at his nightclub. He received a seven-year sentence and expressed remorse for his actions during the emotional hearing.
Ahmed Dini, a father in his 40s with a background in assisting individuals with developmental disabilities, was also arrested in Project Roasted. Police found crack cocaine hidden in his apartment during a search. Dini, going through personal hardships, agreed to store drugs for financial gain but regretted his decision. He received a conditional sentence and probation as part of a sentencing agreement.
Two other individuals implicated in Project Roasted had their charges dropped last year, with federal prosecutors declining to provide specific reasons for the decision.