Young addict running £90,000 Leeds drug lines jailed on his 22nd birthday
A dealer who was in charge of drugs line that raked in £90,000 in less than two months has been jailed on his birthday.
Refaz Ahmed turned 22 this week, but there were not many happy returns after he was handed a five-year jail term.
He admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Leeds Crown Court heard that through patient intelligence-gathering by West Yorkshire Police, they obtained details on three phone lines being used to sell crack cocaine and heroin in Leeds around-the-clock.
It was found that in the space of 56 days, the number of deals arranged using the phones totted up to £90,000. Bulk messages had been sent out advertising both heroin and crack cocaine deals.
Homeless Ahmed was arrested on April 26. No drugs were found in his possession.
He has three previous convictions, including possession of cannabis and nitrous oxide, but none for dealing.
Ahmed appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
Mitigating, Felicity Hemlin said it was the first time he had been in custody which had been a “significant lesson” for him.
She said he was now clean from drugs and he had “buckled down” in prison to take educational courses.
She said he had been homeless, was taking crack cocaine and was offered a room in a trap house.
Ms Hemlin said: “Using drugs led to debt, which led to drug dealing. People who are users become trapped in a cycle of dealing.
“He is utterly ashamed of his actions and wants to turn his life around. He has a 19-month-old daughter, he wants to turn his life around for her.”
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said Ahmed was involved in a “big commercial operation” that was “well run” and was operating 24 hours a day.
He told him: “You knew what it was about and the reward, I do not accept was to simply pay off your debt or feed your own habit.”