A DRUG dealer who played a significant role in the illegal trade on the city’s streets has been locked up for four years.

Jailing Amar Khan, Judge Peter Hunt said that peddling drugs in Bradford was rife.

He told 24-year-old Khan: “Those who do it are helping to feed the drug habits of desperate people, whose lives collapse into devastation and chaos because of an inability to resist the dangerous substances in which you were trading for your own profit.

“Those caught dealing drugs in this way must expect to serve prison sentences of significant length.”

He said the courts had to deter a crime which causes harm to society, drug users and their families.

Khan, of Fagley Place, Fagley, had pleaded not guilty to possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply, but was convicted today by a jury at Bradford Crown Court.

The court heard police stopped a Citroen car, being driven in Harrogate Road, Undercliffe. Khan was the passenger. He was found to have a small amount of cannabis for his personal use and arrested. While being driven to Trafalgar House police station he was fidgeting and rummaging in his pockets. When they arrived, officers saw a plastic package on the floor of the police car. It contained 87 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin with a street value of £733.

Khan denied the drugs were his and claimed they must have already been in the police car.

He admitted smoking £15 of cannabis every two days.

Khan’s solicitor advocate, Nick Leadbeater, told the court his client was of previous good character.

But Judge Hunt told him: “Your role in this dealing of class A drugs was significant, because you were motivated by financial advantage.

“Your offending is so serious only an immediate custodial sentence is justified.”