A drug dealer working to pay off his debts was caught by police with cocaine, ketamine and cannabis inside a food delivery bag.
Sharaz Hussain, 36, was spotted by eagle-eyed officers as he drove his Ford Fusion in Pudsey on August 1 this year. As he was pursued by the proactive interception team, Hussain turned into a minor road and threw the bag filled with drugs out of his car.
Prosecutor Camille Morland told Leeds Crown Court on Friday: "It was a food delivery type bag. Inside was 12 bags of cocaine of 3.64g and a value of £480. There were 40 pots with various labels including French Dog, Lemon Cookies which was cannabis of 143g and a value of £1,260.
Read more: Man accused of murdering rugby league star Danny Kirmond's brother dies in Leeds prison
"There were 11 bags of ketamine with a value of £270. There was also £750 in cash found."
Hussain's mobile phone and sat nav was seized. The sat nav showed a destination and the examination of the mobile phone showed four messages received in an hour all from the same number. Ms Morland said: "They were all for drugs, with the prices, destination, post code and name of the customer.
"He was, it seems, a delivery service for customers who had been provided with his information."
The court was told that Hussain, of Stratford Terrace, had previous convictions for a number of offences including possession with intent to supply class A drugs. He had been convicted of that offence meaning those he fell to be sentenced for on Friday - possession of cocaine and ketamin with intent to supply - was his "third strike," meaning a minimum sentence would need to be put in.
He also fell to be sentenced for possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.
The court was told that Hussain had prepared a letter, in which he said his life had been "somewhat addled" by drug addiction. His Honour Judge Batty said: "There was a cycle of an addiction to drugs and he was selling drugs to clear the debt to fund his habit. He got himself into debt after his release from prison on the last occasion. He wanted to go back on the straight and narrow and was doing this to clear his debt."
It was said Hussain wanted to rebuild his relationship with his partner and children but those hopes have now been dashed due to his most recent conviction.
The judge jailed him for 2,045 days - just over five years - and said he would spend half of that sentence in custody before being released on licence. He told him: "You have spent your adult life dealing drugs - class A and B - perhaps because you have been addicted to them- and that's why you decided to fund such addiction.
"But the Government decided years ago that if you are involved in persistent supplying of class A drugs there should be a minimum term of imprisonment. It's there to act as a deterrent. People know if they have been involved twice if they get involved again it will be a seven-year sentence. Apparently you got involved because you were vulnerable and in debt but the reality is you knew full well what was at stake."
Read next:
- Leeds dad forced to tell kids he can't afford Christmas presents - their response left him broken'
Leeds man struggling on benefits had to get kids' Christmas presents from charity
39 rescue dogs in Leeds looking for their forever homes this Christmas
Leeds community cafe offering 'pay what you can' food on Christmas day
