A Bradford man behind a county lines drug dealing phoneline which supplied crack cocaine and heroin to users in Leeds has been jailed for ten years following an investigation by specialist detectives.
Evidence linking 29-year-old Anas Hussain to the drugs line came to light following the death of a vulnerable drug user in Leeds.
The man, aged in his thirties, had been found deceased at his home in the Beeston area of the city in February 2024. The coroner later concluded that his death had been drugs related.
Analysis of the man’s phone showed he had been involved in supplying drugs through a ‘ring and bring’ phoneline operated by others, and that he appeared to being exploited because of his dependency on drugs.
Officers from Bradford District’s Programme Precision team, which targets serious and organised crime, launched an investigation which painstakingly built up a comprehensive package of evidence that eventually linked Hussain to the line.
He was arrested in Leeds city centre in January last year, along with two other men who remain under investigation.
He was found in possession of the main phone used for the drugs line as well as 25 deals of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin, along with £800 cash. Warrants were executed at linked addresses and uncovered evidence of Class A drugs being bagged up into smaller deals.
Hussain, of Crescent Walk, Bradford, was subsequently charged with three counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, in relation to heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine; three counts of possession with intent to supply heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine; and possession of criminal property in relation to the cash found on him.
He pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court last week to a total of 10 years and two months for these and other separate drugs offences in Leeds.
Detective Inspector Helen Chapman, of the force’s county lines taskforce Operation Phoenix, who led the investigation while at Bradford, said:
“The investigation which uncovered Hussain’s involvement in operating this drugs line between Bradford and Leeds was prompted by the death of a vulnerable drug user which is something that very clearly illustrates the tragic human consequences of the criminal trade in Class A drugs.
“A detailed and painstaking investigation by specialist Programme Precision detectives built up a clear evidential picture of Hussain’s involvement and resulted in him pleading guilty to the offences at court.
“We hope the significant sentence he has received will provide some reassurance to the community and remind those who seek to profit from the supply of Class A drugs of the serious penalties they face.
“We will be continuing to take a proactive approach to targeting county lines drug dealing as part of the ongoing focus by the force’s dedicated taskforce Operation Phoenix, working closely alongside our Programme Precision and neighbourhood policing teams at our districts.”
This post is based on a press release issued by West Yorkshire Police
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