They have both been jailed
Police caught two County Lines drug dealers twice within the space of about a month – and discovered that there were more than 400 bulk advertising messages on a mobile phone for sales of heroin and crack cocaine. Large amounts of cash were also discovered and the pair brazenly carried on their drug dealing activities despite being caught red-handed the first time, Hull Crown Court heard.
Abdilatif Mohamed, 24, admitted being concerned in supplying heroin and crack cocaine and acquiring cash as criminal property. Adnan Hussain, 25, admitted being concerned in supplying heroin and crack cocaine, possessing the drugs with intent to supply and acquiring cash as criminal property.
Austin Newman, prosecuting, said that, on February 12, plainclothes police saw a car turn in to Mayfield Street, off Spring Bank, Hull, where it came to a stop. Hussain was the front seat passenger and Mohamed was a rear seat passenger.
Police saw a drug user run over to the car and get into the passenger seat.
Police followed the car and it was stopped by other officers in Queens Road. A mobile phone was seized from under the rear passenger door. There were 401 text messages that had been sent between February 6 and 12, advertising heroin and crack cocaine for sale. Mohamed dropped a phone out of the rear door before he was detained.
Hussain was standing on several wraps of drugs. There were eight wraps of crack cocaine and some looser amounts. They weighed 1.69g and had a purity of 96 per cent, with a street value of £160.
There were two wraps of heroin, valued at £20. Two wraps of cocaine, valued at £40, were down the side of the front passenger seat. Hussain had £48.90 cash and Mohamed £75.
On March 18, police were in Dover Street – “a well-known hot-spot area for drug dealing in the city” – when they saw four drug users on the old railway track. A man was on his mobile phone and he was constantly looking up the street as if he was waiting for somebody to arrive.
A taxi arrived and Mohamed got out and went into an alleyway near Dover Street. A second taxi pulled up outside and Mohamed emerged from the alleyway and got into that taxi.
It turned round but was stopped by police. Mohamed got out and tried to run away.
Police shouted for him to stop and, while he was trying to escape, he took off a jacket. Police found £3,950 cash in it. There was a chase and he was caught and wrestled to the ground.
“He continued to struggle while the police were attempting to apply handcuffs,” said Mr Newman. Another £430 cash fell out of his trouser pocket.
Entry was forced into a house where a bag of drugs and £1,290 cash was found. The haul included 32 wraps of crack cocaine, valued at £880, and six wraps of heroin, valued at £60.
Bulk advertising messages for heroin and crack cocaine were found on a phone. “Hussain and Mohamed were involved, together with others, in a County Lines operation with drugs being sold directly to users at street level,” said Mr Newman.
Hussain had previous convictions for possessing a knife, affray and assaulting an emergency worker. He had been jailed for 22 months in 2022 for possessing a blade, with an extra nine months for having contraband in prison. Mohamed had been jailed for six years in January 2023 for possessing drugs with intent to supply, knife offences and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Jane Rapin, mitigating, said that Mohamed had expressed genuine remorse. “He has made a number of very poor decisions and has let himself and his family down,” said Miss Rapin.
“He knows the impact that drugs has on communities.” Mohamed acted in a “selfish” way because he owed money. “He could see no other way to clear it,” said Miss Rapin.
“He was living in Hull at the time of the offences. He was still using cocaine and cannabis at the time. He was put under pressure to repay the debt. He greatly regrets his actions and the decisions he made.”
Cathy Kioko-Gilligan, representing Hussain, said that he was found drug dealing in Hull but he was not in a management or operational function. “He had a drug habit at the time,” said Miss Kioko-Gilligan.
“He was more like a runner. He was holding the drugs. He was there to look after the drugs. He was repaying a drug debt. He was under some significant pressure.
“He got himself involved in a very frightening business. His situation escalated and he found himself drug dealing in Hull. He has no offences of drug dealing recorded against him.”
Mohamed, who had been living in Hull, but also of Castledine Gardens, Sheffield, was jailed for six years and three months. Hussain, of Wasp Nest Road, Huddersfield, was jailed for five years.