he made no comment about the heroin.
Afraz Sheikh, aged 31, of Bradford, was jailed for six years after he was caught hiding a stash of heroin worth almost £240,000. The drug dealer had concealed the narcotics in his untidy attic bedroom.
Police found the stash when they broke into Sheikh’s locked room at his home in Nearcliffe Avenue on May 31, 2018. Officers also found scales and cutting agents inside the room.
The previous day, Sheikh and another man were stopped by police in a black BMW on the southbound A168 near Dishforth, and £1,800 in cash and a bag of cannabis was seized.
When the police subsequently searched Sheikh’s bedroom, they discovered the high-purity heroin with a street value of up to almost £240,000.
Police also seized skunk cannabis and a block of cannabis, together worth up to £140, scales and a caffeine and paracetamol cutting agent to bulk up the heroin for sale in deals.
Sheikh told officers that the money seized from him was to buy a car. However, he made no comment about the heroin.
He later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and simple possession of cannabis.
Bradford Crown Court heard in mitigation that Sheikh knew he would receive a lengthy prison sentence.
The drug dealer had previous convictions for matters of dishonesty, driving offences and possession of cannabis resin but nothing for trafficking drugs.
Judge Jonathan Rose said a tragic aspect to the case was the death of Sheikh’s brother.
A moving letter had been written to the court by Sheikh’s mother who was horrified by the prospect of her son going to prison.
Judge Rose explained that Sheikh had been persuaded to join the drug trafficking enterprise to pay off a very substantial debt run up by another person.
He said:
“You agreed to go along with this, bringing pain on your family and yourself.”
The heroin was of 63% purity, making it of significant value and Sheikh’s role was not just to store it.
The drug dealer took an active part in the organisation, making his role a significant one which was motivated by financial gain.
Judge Rose told that court that he was so moved by the letter from Sheikh’s mother that he would reduce the starting point for the sentence from nine years to eight.
She faced seeing her son go to prison having lost one son already.
He then took a further two years off the starting point of the sentence after Sheikh pleaded guilty.
The Telegraph and Argus reported that Sheikh was jailed for six years.
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