A police Transit van was rammed as drugs squad officers swooped to arrest three men for selling heroin and crack cocaine on Bradford’s streets, a Court heard.

Convicted drug dealer Ayaz Nabi drove a black VW Golf into the van in a desperate bid to escape the roadblock on Sunbridge Road.

Nabi, of Ashwell Road, Girlington, Bradford, was arrested, along with Junaid Mahmood, 21, also of Ashwell Road, and Shakeal Rehman, 22, of Hawkswood Avenue, Heaton, Bradford.

All three were given jail sentences at Bradford Crown Court yesterday.

Mahmood and Rehman each pleaded guilty to possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply on September 1, 2008. Mahmood also admitted possessing £420 drugs money.

Mahmood was jailed for three years and Rehman, who pleaded guilty sooner, for two years and eight months.

Nabi, who admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, with 300 hours’ unpaid work and supervision.

Prosecutor James Keeley said police saw a woman drug addict buying from the Golf on Hollings Road, Girlington. When officers closed in, on Sunbridge Road, Nabi crashed into their van.

Heroin with an £80 street value and £203 worth of crack cocaine was found in the Golf.

In August 2006, Nabi was jailed for three years for conspiring to supply crack cocaine and cannabis.

He and three other men were arrested in the Black Cave Amusement Arcade in Carlisle Road, Manningham. Crack cocaine valued at £18,000 was seized.

Barristers for the three men said they were not major players in the drugs world. Mahmood was “a small fish” funding his own cocaine habit.

Rehman was also dealing to pay for his drug addiction. The drugs in the car were not his.

Nabi was doing voluntary work for the Consequence project, showing young people that crime did not pay.