TWO men involved in the illegal drug trade in the district have been jailed for a total of seven and a half years.

Aaron Russell, 24, a persistent street dealer, continued to sell heroin and cocaine despite being bailed three times by police, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday. He was jailed for five years.

Khazim Ahmed, 29, who produced crack cocaine at a house in Wrose Road, Shipley, and was concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine, was jailed for two and a half years.

Prosecutor Ian Howard said Russell was seen by police going to the the address in Wrose Road on July 17 last year and then drive off. He was stopped and found to be hiding a plastic egg containing seven wraps of heroin and 19 of cocaine in his trousers.

Police returned to search the address and found Ahmed, along with 29 grammes of cannabis, £422 in cash, two sets of scales, a cutting agent, rolls, plastic bags and cling film. He told police he was bagging up cocaine to pay off a debt.

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Russell was bailed, but on July 30 he was again stopped by police and found to be in possession of heroin and cocaine, mobile phones and £200 cash.

He was again bailed but on October 24 he was seen using his mobile phone while driving and stopped again and had wraps of heroin and cocaine with him.

He was once again bailed, only to be found in possession of more class A drugs on November 14.

Russell, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to eight charges of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard he had become involved with drugs after being taken into care and was a drug runner.

Jailing him, Judge David Hatton QC, said he gave him credit for his guilty pleas at an early stage, but that was far outweighed by the persistence of his offending.

Judge Hatton told him: "You are a persistent street dealer of drugs. Having been arrested for offences and bailed, you continued in your filthy trade. You must be kept off the streets where you deal."

Ahmed, of Old Park Road, Thorpe Edge, Bradford, pleaded guilty to producing crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine, and possessing cannabis.

His barrister, Angus McDonald, said his client performed a limited function under direction and there was no evidence he had influence on those above him.

Judge Hatton told Ahmed that he was not involved in dealing but he knew the drugs with which he was concerned would be dealt on the street.