Drive ban leads police to drug dealer

A heroin street dealer who bragged only “clowns” got caught, was rumbled when he got behind the wheel while banned – and police stopped him as he wasn’t insured, a court heard.
Iblal RazaqIblal Razaq
Iblal Razaq

Burnley Crown Court was told how Iblal Razaq (30) had boasted he would not be found out. But, officers discovered he had a stash of drugs worth more than £1,200, including nine wraps on him, ready for delivery, after he was pulled over. The defendant, who told an acquaintance he was making “good paper” (slang for money), from selling the Class A drug, denied to police he was a supplier, but could not explain how he funded his £200-a-week addiction on £70-a-week benefits.

The Burnley dad, who has 40 offences on his record, has now been locked up for 46 months, by a judge who told him: “It’s not very clever to drive while disqualified and with no insurance.”

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Razaq’s solicitor had told the court: “While he may brag on the internet, he’s actually not very good at this.”

The defendant, of Belvedere Road, had admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply and driving while disqualified.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker said police stopped the defendant as he was driving a Renault Megane on April 16th. Other officers had seen it and checks revealed it was not insured.

The defendant was spoken to and gave his details. It turned out he was disqualified and was going to be arrested for that at first. Razaq was taken to the police station and searched and nine, £20 deals of heroin were recovered from him.

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Mr Parker said his home was searched and nothing was found there, but the defendant was also linked to an address in Wycollar Avenue, Burnley. Officers discovered 8.67 grams of heroin rolled up in a T-shirt under a bedroom cabinet. They also found digital scales, which tested positive for the drug.

The prosecutor said: “Police indicated the drugs could be broken down into a street value of £1,080 - 54 £20 street deals.”

Mr Parker said Razaq’s mobile telephone showed “typical messages associated with street dealing,” from the beginning of April. The prosecutor continued: “He enters into conversation with someone who appears a friend of his. He suggests he was making good paper from what he was doing, which the police say is slang for good money. The person told him cannabis was minor but you could do time if you got caught with heroin. The defendant said, ‘I am dressed in dark and I can blend in. Those other clowns get spotted a mile off’.”

Mr Parker said the defendant was questioned without the mobile phone evidence and told officers the heroin found on him was for his own use and he bought it that day. Razaq claimed he wanted to buy a weight for himself, but his dealer did not have it and that’s why the heroin was in nine individual wraps. He told police he paid £60 for it.

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The prosecutor continued: “He said he was a heroin user and was using perhaps £30 per day. He was in receipt of benefits of £143 per fortnight. Asked how on earth he was making ends meet, he was rather silent. He said people that he knew, either friends or family, helped him out.”

Richard Taylor (defending) said, about a year ago, Razaq started taking heroin. He could not finance his habit, bought some drugs in bulk and started to supply, mainly to acquaintances.

Mr Taylor said Razaq said: “On his eventual release, he wants to come out of that sentence, get back into work, he has, in his lifetime, been a hard worker, and be more of a role model for his family, who, he fully accepts, he has let down considerably.”

The solicitor, who said Razaq had previous convictions for growing a cannabis plant and possessing drugs, told the court it was the first time he has been involved in a supply-related offence.

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Passing sentence, Judge Graham Knowles QC said: “You were in it for money. Whether you yourself were a user of heroin or not, you were certainly pleased to announce to an acquaintance you were making good paper from it and no doubt you were doing.”

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