Heroin and crack cocaine found

A DRUG dealer who used children's novelty eggs to hide heroin and crack cocaine in Huddersfield has been jailed for three-and-a- half years.

Tariq Hussain, 21, was chased and arrested by plainclothes police near his home in Springdale Street, Thornton Lodge, last August, Bradford Crown Court heard.

When his car was searched, two Kinder eggs, containing 14 wraps of the Class A drugs, were found.

Prosecutor Martin Haigh said a search of his home revealed two so-called dealer lists.

Hussain, who had no previous convictions for drug matters, was bailed the next day by magistrates.

But a month later undercover police saw him on a street with three other men.

Mr Haigh said there was another chase and this time Hussain threw two objects in a canal.

When the eggs were recovered they were found to contain 12 wraps of heroin and 21 of crack cocaine.

Hussain also had £500 on him and tests showed the notes were contaminated with higher than average levels of heroin.

The court heard that Hussain also had a key to a disused post office and police found evidence that drugs may have been kept at the premises.

Hussain, a former business studies student, pleaded guilty last month to possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Barrister Abdul Iqbal, for Hussain, said his client's own drug problem had led him to start dealing.

He said Hussain's offending was not paying for extravagant expenditure.

Hussain had been coping with his own drugs habit while on remand for more than five months, added Mr Iqbal.

Recorder Stephen Ashurst said Hussain would receive credit for his guilty pleas, but added: "I think you probably realised at that stage that, given the strength of the evidence against you, the game really was up and the police had done their job well in putting an end to your drug dealing in the Huddersfield area."

The recorder said it was an aggravating feature of the case that Hussain had been undeterred by being arrested on the first occasion.

But he said he was prepared to accept that Hussain had now learned his lesson.

In addition to imposing the jail term Recorder Ashurst also ordered the forfeiture of the £500, which will now be used in the fight against drugs.