A DRUG dealer caught hiding a stash of heroin worth up to almost £240,000 in his untidy attic bedroom has been jailed for six years.

Police found the haul, along with scales and cutting agents, when they broke into Afraz Sheikh’s locked room at his home in Nearcliffe Avenue, Bradford, on May 31, 2018.

The previous day, Sheikh and another man were stopped by the 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 searched Sheikh’s bedroom, they discovered the high-purity heroin with a street value of up to almost £240,000, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Also seized was 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, 31, told the police the money seized from him was to buy a car. He made no comment about the heroin.

He went on to plead guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and simple possession of cannabis.

The court heard in mitigation that Sheikh knew he would receive a significant prison sentence.

He 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 idea of her son going to prison.

Judge Rose said Sheikh had been persuaded to join the drug trafficking enterprise to pay off a very substantial debt run up by another person.

“You agreed to go along with this, bringing pain on your family and yourself,” he said.

The heroin was of 63 per cent purity, making it of significant value. And Sheikh’s role was not just to store it. He took an active part in the organisation, making his role a significant one, motivated by financial gain.

Judge Rose said 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 the prospect of having lost one son and seeing another go to prison.

He then gave Sheikh 25 per cent credit for pleading guilty.