Drug dealers sold heroin and crack cocaine on a ‘near-industrial scale outside HMP Wakefield and city’s court

A court heard how Mohammed Nazir’s major ring-and-bring Class A drug supply network in Wakefield was discovered by undercover officers when they carried out an operation targeting dealers in the city.

Leeds Crown Court heard officers bought drugs from Nazir on 11 occasions during a 96-day operation between last December and March this year.

Howard Shaw, prosecuting said Nazir was responsible for running an order line and directing other dealers, but would also make deliveries himself.

Nazir was helped by Nathan Stokes, who would often make deliveries accompanied by his brother and mother.

Deals would take place outside HMP Wakefield, the city’s magistrates court, railway station and in front of supermarkets.

The purity of the drugs supplied by the pair were close to double that of the average deal expected on the streets of West Yorkshire.

Mr Shaw said: “The drugs were so pure it must have come from either abroad directly or a wholesaler in this country. It is accepted that there is no direct evidence for that but the purity is quite remarkable.”

On one occasion Stokes boasted to undercover officers that he could make up to £1,000 a day selling drugs.

Nazir’s ‘customers’ also spoke of his reputation for supplying good quality drugs.

During the operation officers followed one man to flats in the Lupset and found around 100 wraps of cocaine and heroin in a lunch box at the rear of the property.

Digital scales and £3,000 in cash were found in the bathroom.

The court heard Nazir has two previous convictions for supplying drugs and had received lengthy prison sentences.

In 2009 he was shot in the arm during a period of home leave from prison. He later told police he was too frightened to tell them who had done it.

Nazir, 34, of Hatfeild Street, Wakefield, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to two offences of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and three of possessing a controlled drug with intent to supply.

Mark Foley, for Nazir, said his client entered no basis for his plea of guilty and was too frightened to explain his level of involvement in the conspiracy.

Stokes, 24, of Soho Grove, Wakefield, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to two offences of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Richard Canning, for Stokes, said his client did not play a leading role in the conspiracy.