A DRUG dealer threw a Kinder Surprise toy container filled with heroin and crack cocaine when police stopped him near a cemetery.

Raeeb Zaman, 31, of Grantham Road in Bradford, was sentenced to two years and three months behind bars for two drug offences and failing to surrender to bail, at Bradford Crown Court on Friday.

The drug offences were possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

The 31-year-old, who was using a Punjabi Pakistan interpreter in court, was driving a Toyota RAV4 in Smith House Lane, in Brighouse, on December 3, 2019 when a police officer drew his attention to Zaman.

Sarah Hopkinson, for the prosecution, said police followed the car and saw it drive onto a grass verge to pass a bus and then towards a cemetery.

She added: “The officer saw an item being thrown from the driver’s side window.”

Police pulled the vehicle over and searched the area.

The court heard the officer found a yellow Kinder Egg container which was filled with drugs.

This included 42 wraps of heroin and 58 wraps of crack cocaine.

Zaman was arrested but then flew to Pakistan, because his aunt was taken critically ill, according to Zaman’s defence lawyer, Andrew Dallas.

He said Zaman intended to come back on December 4 but Pakistan was on the UK’s red list for travel right throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and he “couldn’t afford the £2,000 or so for quarantine”.

Zaman’s passport then expired last October while in the country and was unable to get a new one until May this year, the court heard.

The 31-year-old only returned to the UK two months later, in July, but Mr Dallas said Zaman waited to come home with his mother as she has a number of medical difficulties.

In mitigation, Mr Dallas outlined that Zaman has no previous convictions and was a hard worker in a low paid job which could not sustain his drug and alcohol habit.

He said: “This is a classic case of a lesser role because there’s some small amount of drugs for personal use and a reduction of debt.”

The court heard Zaman’s wife had struggled with their two young children – aged six and two – while he was away and that he had curbed his drink and drugs problem from being arrested.

Recorder Alex Menary said: “She has had to raise two small children on her own in that time.

“But ultimately it was you who put her in that position.”

The judge deemed Zaman to be of lesser culpability.

He said: “You have run up a significant debt.”

He added: “You were pursuing a role on behalf of others.”

Zaman will serve 14 days concurrently alongside his drug offences sentences for failing to surrender.