'Drug accused did not know heroin was a Class A drug' (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

'Drug accused did not know heroin was a Class A drug'

8:00am Friday 5th October 2012 in News By Steve Wright, Crime Reporter

An alleged drugs courier, accused of collecting wholesale quantities of heroin from Bradford, told police he did not know it was a Class A drug.

Wajid Hussain, 31, told officers he had been asleep in his cousin’s car and did not see a box, containing eight kilograms of heroin, being put in the boot.

A jury at Bradford Crown Court has heard Hussain was a front seat passenger in a Volkswagen Polo, driven by Rayman Hussain from Bristol to Bradford. It was stopped on the westbound carriageway of the M62 in October last year and police seized ten packages of heroin.

Prosecutor Andrew Kershaw alleges the two Hussains were couriers, sent from dealers in Bristol to collect drugs from Bradford dealers.

Rayman Hussain has admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply. But Wajid Hussain, of Stonebridge Park, Bristol, denies the charge.

Mr Kershaw alleges Wajid was providing his cousin with support on the journey, bringing his satellite navigation system to help get to the collection point.

But the jury heard yesterday that Wajid told police he had been asleep in the car and did not know where they went to. He told officers he did not see anybody put anything into the car boot and he did not know what was in the box.

The court heard Wajid had denied to police knowing that heroin was a Class A drug.

Asked to explain the drugs in the vehicle he said: “I don’t know how to explain. I knew nothing about the box.”

He claimed to police that he thought he was going on a picnic and he would be back in time to go to work.

And he denied being threatened or paid to go to Bradford.

Mohammed Saleem Hussain, 32, of Undercliffe Street, Pollard Park, Bradford, has admitted conspiracy to supply a class A drug, in connection with the seizure of the heroin, which was worth £435,000.