Taxi driver had £27,000 drug stash
A TAXI driver who turned to drug dealing to provide for his family and pay off mounting debts has been jailed.
Police executed a search warrant at Amjid Hunter’s home in Normanton, near Wakefield, and found cocaine and cannabis worth £27,603 hidden in the loft.
Officers also found £31,000 in cash wrapped up in bundles inside the property on Talbot Court.
Hunter’s mobile phone was seized and was found to contain text messages linking him to supplying the class A and B drugs.
Hunter was jailed for three years, nine months, after pleading guilty to possessing class A and B drugs with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.
Leeds Crown Court heard he was arrested after the discovery on January 24 this year and initially claimed the drugs had belonged to a taxi customer who had fled the vehicle after seeing a police car.
Mr Wray said Hunter abandoned the account after the text messages linked him to drug supply.
Adrian Pollard, mitigating, said Hunter got involved with drugs to provide for his two children after he built up debts of £60,000.
The lawyer said Hunter had been a taxi driver for 14 years but had now lost his job.
He said: “He acknowledges that he has been incredibly stupid and short-sighted in thinking he would get away with this.
“He has been caught holding everything and he is the one who has to bear the responsibility.”
The Recorder of Leeds, judge Peter Collier, QC, said: “I am sure others were involved with you but you have to carry the can.
“There is nothing I can do about that.”