British-Pakistani Drug Kingpin ‘Sultan’ Sentenced to 16 Years by U.S. Court
A U.S. federal court in New York has sentenced Muhammad Asif Hafeez, a British national of Pakistani origin, to 16 years in prison for operating a global drug trafficking network over the course of more than two decades.
Known in the underworld as “Sultan,” the 66-year-old was found guilty of conspiring to import vast quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and hashish into the United States and other countries. The sentencing on Friday marks the conclusion of an extensive international investigation that involved law enforcement agencies across multiple continents.
Hafeez maintained a public image of a respectable businessman and philanthropist, engaging with London’s elite society and even associating with members of the British royal family. He was affiliated with Sarwani International Corporation, overseeing businesses in Pakistan, the UAE, and the UK in fields such as textiles, restaurants, and equestrian services.
However, U.S. prosecutors revealed this image to be a cover for his true role as the architect of a massive narcotics operation. Hafeez allegedly sourced drugs from Pakistan and India, distributing them globally. Authorities described him as the “puppet-master” of the trafficking network.
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The Sting Operation and Arrest
His downfall began in 2014 when two close associates unknowingly negotiated a heroin deal with a U.S. DEA undercover agent in Mombasa, Kenya. The recorded meeting provided vital evidence of Hafeez’s involvement. This led to the arrest of major figures in the drug trade, including the Akasha brothers of a Kenyan cartel and their associate Vicky Goswami.
Hafeez was arrested in August 2017 at his luxury London apartment and spent six years in Belmarsh Prison fighting extradition. He argued that he had served as an informant for British and UAE authorities and that his medical condition made extradition inhumane. These claims were rejected by UK courts and the European Court of Human Rights.
Trial and Sentencing
In May 2023, Hafeez was extradited to the U.S., and in November, he pleaded guilty to two charges of drug trafficking conspiracy. Prosecutors emphasized the scale of his operation, which they said could have resulted in millions of lethal doses.
Authorities highlighted that Hafeez was not driven by poverty but by calculated ambition, using his supposed cooperation with law enforcement to eliminate competition while continuing his own drug trade.
“While pretending to help authorities, he was flooding international markets with narcotics,” officials said. “He informed on competitors while concealing his own empire.”
With time served since 2017, Hafeez is expected to complete his sentence by 2033.
