Key Points
- Hassan Khan, 22, from Fountain Street, Accrington, has been sentenced to 38 months in jail.
- He pleaded guilty to possession of class A drugs which included heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.
- Khan was arrested twice in a little over a year, the first time in March 2025 and then again in June 2026.
- In his second arrest, Khan was found in possession of heroin, crack cocaine, and nearly £700 cash.
- The sentencing took place in Burnley Crown Court on Thursday, 15th October 2026.
- Lancashire Police said the operation is a part of Operation Warrior, a strategy to tackle serious and organised crimes.
- Sergeant Hutchinson of Hyndburn Taskforce Police Team said public intelligence is very important for proactive policing.
- According to Lancashire Police, Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw backs Operation Warrior.
Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 19, 2026 — A 22-year-old Accrington man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison after police twice found him in possession of heroin and crack cocaine within a 15-month period.
Hassan Khan, of Fountain Street in Accrington, received a 38-month prison sentence at Burnley Crown Court on Thursday, October 15, after pleading guilty to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, the case involved two separate arrests by Lancashire Police, first in March 2025 and again in June 2026.
What did Hassan Khan admit?
Khan admitted possessing heroin and crack cocaine with the intention of supplying them to others. Both substances are classified as class A drugs under UK law, the category that includes the most harmful controlled drugs in terms of potential harm and legal penalties.
The court heard that Khan’s first arrest took place in March 2025, when officers discovered him with heroin and crack cocaine. According to Lancashire Police, he was arrested for a second time in June 2026, when he was again found with both drugs. On that occasion, officers also recovered nearly £700 in cash.
The sentencing hearing took place at Burnley Crown Court, where Khan was given a prison term of 38 months. The sentence exceeds three years and reflects his guilty plea to possession with intent to supply.
Why was Hassan Khan arrested twice?
Lancashire Police said Khan was initially detained in March 2025 after officers found him with heroin and crack cocaine. The force said he was arrested again in June 2026 in similar circumstances, with the same class A drugs recovered.
The second arrest also involved the discovery of cash amounting to nearly £700. Police did not disclose in the published account the exact location of either arrest, the quantity of drugs recovered, or further details of the evidence presented to the court.
The two arrests occurred within a period of just over one year. Khan’s eventual guilty plea related to possession with intent to supply, rather than simple possession, indicating that the prosecution case concerned drugs allegedly intended for distribution.
What sentence did the court impose?
Burnley Crown Court sentenced Khan to 38 months’ imprisonment on Thursday, October 15. The sentence was announced by Lancashire Police following the hearing.
A 38-month term equals three years and two months. The court’s decision followed Khan’s admission that he possessed heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.
The sentencing concludes a police investigation spanning both arrests. Lancashire Police publicised the outcome as part of its wider reporting on action against drug supply and organised criminal activity in the county.
What did Lancashire Police say?
Sergeant Hutchinson, of the Hyndburn Taskforce Police Team, said the sentence demonstrated the force’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling the local drugs trade.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Sergeant Hutchinson said: “Drugs inflict damage and criminal behavior on our communities, and we will persist in our proactive policing efforts to ensure that our neighborhoods remain safe for living, working, and visiting.”
She added that information provided by members of the public plays an important role in enabling such operations.
“The intelligence we gather from the public is crucial for the police, and without it, we would be unable to engage in this type of proactive work,”
she said.
The officer’s comments emphasised that Lancashire Police regards community reporting as central to identifying suspected drug activity and carrying out targeted enforcement work.
How does Operation Warrior fit in?
Lancashire Police said the case forms part of Operation Warrior, the force’s strategic initiative against serious and organised crime across the region. The operation is supported by Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.
According to Lancashire Police, Operation Warrior targets individuals and groups involved in criminal activity, along with associated harms including violence, intimidation, large-scale drug distribution, exploitation and fraud. The force says these activities cause significant damage to local communities.
The operation’s stated purpose is to focus enforcement activity on those suspected of playing a role in organised crime, while also addressing the wider consequences that drug supply and related offending can have on neighbourhoods.
What happens next in the case?
The published police account does not state whether Khan will appeal, when he may become eligible for release, or whether any further proceedings are expected. Those details were not included in the information released following sentencing.
Khan’s sentence of 38 months begins following his conviction at Burnley Crown Court. Under standard sentencing arrangements, the time a person spends in custody and on licence is governed by the terms of the sentence imposed and applicable release rules.
Lancashire Police has not announced any additional arrests or charges connected to the case in its public statement.
Background of the development
Hassan Khan’s case arose from two police operations in Lancashire involving the recovery of heroin and crack cocaine. The first arrest occurred in March 2025, and the second followed in June 2026, when officers also found nearly £700 in cash.
Khan, who lives on Fountain Street in Accrington, subsequently pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply. He was sentenced on October 15, 2026, to 38 months in prison.
The case was publicised by Lancashire Police as an example of its work under Operation Warrior, a force-wide initiative supported by Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw. The operation is described by the force as targeting serious and organised crime, including drug supply, violence, intimidation, exploitation and fraud.
Prediction: how this development can affect the local audience
For residents of Accrington and the wider Hyndburn area, the case is likely to reinforce ongoing police messaging that drug supply remains an enforcement priority. Lancashire Police has framed the sentence as evidence of its intention to take proactive action against those involved in the local drugs trade.
For community members, the most immediate practical effect may be continued encouragement to report suspected drug activity. Sergeant Hutchinson stated that public intelligence is crucial to the force’s proactive work, suggesting that residents may see further targeted operations where information is provided.
For local businesses and community organisations, the police response forms part of a broader effort to address issues associated with class A drug supply, including anti-social behaviour, intimidation and exploitation. The force says Operation Warrior is intended to reduce the harm such activity causes to people living, working in and visiting affected neighbourhoods.
For young people and families in the area, the case highlights the legal consequences of involvement in drug supply. Khan’s 38-month sentence followed guilty pleas to possession with intent to supply after two arrests involving heroin and crack cocaine, illustrating the potential outcome of repeated class A drug offending.
