Mehdi Esmalpoor: Sheffield 'most wanted' who fled drug trial appears on Crimewatch as manhunt reaches 5th year

Mehdi Esmalpoor, aged 43, failed to show up for his trial at Sheffield Crown Court in 2017, and has never been seen since.

In his absence, he and two other men were found guilty of conspiracy to produce Crystal Meth from an address in Broom Valley Road, Rotherham.

The trial came after a large quantity of the Class A drug was seized in 2016, along with the necessary equipment to produce it.

Today (October 5), Esmalpoor’s face appeared on Crimewatch Live in a bid for anyone who can bring the 43-year-old to justice to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Anna Sedgwick, who is overseeing the manhunt for Esmalpoor, said: “It is now five years since Esmalpoor and his co-accused were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for Class A drugs offences, and he remains at liberty.

“We have undertaken extensive enquiries both within the UK and abroad to try and locate him to no avail. We hope that the broadcast today on Crimewatch elicits some new information and lines of enquiry about his whereabouts.

“The offence that Esmalpoor has been convicted and sentenced for is one that is incredibly serious. Crystal meth is a very, very dangerous substance – not just for users in terms of the health risks, but in its production as well. Extremely volatile materials and processes have to be followed in the production of this drug, which puts the lives of the wider community at risk too.

“This danger is quite rightly recognised by the courts and Esmalpoor’s prison sentence reflects this. We need to locate him and bring him to justice so he can serve his time.

“If you do know where he is, or where he might have been in the last five years, please contact Crimewatch or SYP directly.”

Anyone with information can contact South Yorkshire Police using their online portal or by calling 101, quoting reference number 138 of October 5, 2022.

Alternatively, if you wish to remain anonymous you can do so by contacting independent charity Crimestoppers via their website – www.crimestoppers-uk.org – or by calling their UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111.