Three individuals, including a high-level cocaine trafficker, a nightclub owner acting as a drug courier, and a recently divorced father, have pleaded guilty in connection to a drug bust conducted by Winnipeg police. Mohamed Ali, Abdullah Khan, and Ahmed Dini were arrested as part of Project Roasted, an extensive investigation into a drug trafficking network in 2024. The operation led to the apprehension of one suspect at his residence and the arrest of the other two individuals outside Stella’s on Pembina Highway, where police discovered approximately two kilograms of cocaine in their vehicle.
Following concerns of potential compromise in the drug investigation involving a corrupt officer, law enforcement obtained a warrant to examine one of the suspects’ seized cellphones. The warrant stated suspicions of unauthorized sharing of police information between Mohamed Ali and former Winnipeg police officer Elston Bostock. Bostock, a seasoned constable, was later sentenced to seven years in prison after confessing to several corruption-related offenses, including divulging confidential police data to external parties.
During the investigation, incriminating evidence was found on the cellphones linking Ali and his associates to Bostock, indicating the officer’s involvement in providing privileged police information to criminal elements. Recent court proceedings shed light on the backgrounds of the three convicted individuals in the case and revealed details on their roles in the drug operation.
Federal prosecutors disclosed that information on Ali’s cocaine trafficking activities initiated Project Roasted. Covert searches at Ali’s Niverville residence led to the discovery of cocaine, cash, and drug paraphernalia, in addition to the two kilograms seized during the arrests at Stella’s. Khan, responsible for transporting the drugs, was directed by Ali during their interactions.
Khan, who was the proprietor of the Moonlight Lounge nightclub during the investigation, confessed to transporting a substantial quantity of cocaine and pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking. Additionally, he admitted to obstructing justice in a separate case related to an incident at his nightclub, for which he received a combined seven-year sentence.
Ahmed Dini, a father in his 40s with a background in assisting individuals with developmental disabilities, was also implicated in the drug bust. Police found crack cocaine in Dini’s apartment during his arrest, and his lawyer explained that he agreed to store the drugs during a challenging period in his life. Dini was sentenced to a conditional two-year term, followed by supervised probation, reflecting a joint recommendation from legal representatives.
Charges against two other individuals involved in Project Roasted were dropped last year without specific reasons provided by federal prosecutors. The case highlights the intricate web of drug trafficking activities and the diverse backgrounds of those implicated in the illicit operation.