Nelson brothers jailed for drug dealing

Atif Ansar (26) and his younger sibling Aquib (22), a convicted cannabis dealer, had a £4,000 stash of the Class A controlled drugs in the glove box of a Ford Escort car on Atif’s drive.

The pair were caught after police spotted them “out and about” supplying from a Vauxhall Vectra in Burnley, the town’s crown court heard.

The hearing was told Aquib Ansar had a “dealer’s list” on his mobile phone, with a running tally of drugs they had been peddling. Officers also recovered a total of £4,000 cash from the Vectra at Atif’s home, but when the brothers were questioned, they did not own up and maintained the money was received from accident claims.

Atif Ansar, of Ashton Drive, and his co-defendant, of Manchester Road, both Nelson, each admitted possessing heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine with intent to supply.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker told the hearing that police in the Briercliffe Road area of Burnley saw a Vauxhall Vectra, driven by Atif Ansar with his brother in the front seat. They believed it was trying to evade them.

They activated their emergency lights and sirens, followed it a short distance, lost sight of it and then found it parked up on Bulcock Street. Officers approached the occupants and told them they would be searched.

Mr Parker said police recovered a mobile phone from Aquib Ansar and found snap seal bags and cash in the Vectra. Officers believed something had possibly been thrown out of the car. He continued: “They retraced the route that they had taken and found a red tube a short distance away. On looking in it, the officers believed it contained various types of drugs and as a result both defendants were arrested.”

The prosecutor said the tub was found to contain five £20 deals of heroin, five £20 deals of crack cocaine and one £20 deal of cocaine.

Police searched the brothers’ homes and at Atif’s house on Ashton Drive, they recovered drugs packaging and cash.

Officers had with them the keys to the Vectra and a key for a Ford Escort, parked in the driveway, was on the keyring.

More drugs were found in the Escort glove box. Mr Parker went on: “The drugs that had been thrown out of the car were effectively the stuff they were dealing at the time and the larger find in the glove box of the car was effectively their main stash.”

In the glove box were 65 wraps of heroin in £20 street deals, to the tune of £1,300, just over 25 grams of crack cocaine worth £2,500, on the basis it could be broken down into £10 deals, eight wraps of cocaine, consistent with £20 deals, digital scales, a craft knife with heroin on and snap bags.

Mr Parker said the total amount of drugs discovered was 56.85 grams, worth just over £4,000 on the streets.

Aquib Ansar had a previous conviction for possessing cannabis with intent to supply. His brother had received a suspended jail term for affray and possessing an offensive weapon.

Philip Holden, for Aquib Ansar, said: “Both defendants agree that Atif started off this enterprise and subsequently the defendant I represent became involved. Of course, he played an integral part.

“He is plainly fearful of going into custody for a period of time which will inevitably follow.”

For Atif Ansar, Richard Taylor said he was involved to try and pay off a drugs debt that he had accrued because of his own addiction: “It had been suggested if he didn’t pay that off by selling drugs his family would be informed he was a drug user. He didn’t want them to know that. He’s exceptionally embarrassed and he’s embarrassed for the shame he has brought upon them.”

Sentencing, Recorder Howard Bentham said: “This was a well-organised drug dealing operation. You both fulfilled significant roles.”