Hapless Leeds weed dealer caught four times before being locked up

Hapless Zarib Khan was released under investigation on three occasions after he was caught with bags of cannabis before eventually being held on remand after his fourth bust. The 20-year-old old admitted four counts of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs at Leeds Crown Court this week.

Prosecutor Harry Crowson said Khan was driving a Toyota Yaris when he was stopped by police on Whitehall Road in Leeds for speeding on March 5 last year.

Officers could smell cannabis so searched his car and found four bags of the drug worth £95, and two small bags of cocaine. Over £650 in cash was seized and a mobile phone that contained messages that showed “clear evidence” of dealing, Mr Crowson said.

Having been interviewed by police, he was released. But on June 17 last year, he was seen driving a Vauxhall Astra in Leeds while on his mobile phone. When he noticed officers, he tried to drive away but was stopped.

This time he was found to have seven bags of cannabis worth £165, around £980 in cash and another phone which contained dealing-related messages. He told officers he bought the drugs in bulk for him and a friend and he got the money from working.

But he was then stopped again on October 16 after police had been called to the area for an unrelated matter. He was searched but had nothing on him, but then ran from police.

The Toyota Yaris was searched and a manbag was found, containing 16 bags of cannabis and £675 cash.

Then on June 25 of this year, he was driving a Ford Focus through Beeston when officers detected the smell of cannabis. He was stopped and found to have nine bags of the drug hidden behind the dashboard, worth £250, and another “burner phone”, used to deal.

On this occasion, he was kept on remand for two months until his hearing at court this week. It was heard he has just one conviction, for possession of cannabis, from 2020.

Khan, of Tempest Road, Beeston, admitted four counts of dealing cannabis, and one of possession of cocaine.

A pre-sentence report from probation suggested Khan had been addicted to cannabis himself and had run up a debt, so was forced to sell the drug to clear what he owed.

Mitigating, Soheil Khan said Khan was still “only a young man” and had been employed in the family car-sales business.

He said: “He does not seek to minimise. He is clearly remorseful. He had an addiction which he has now kicked because of his time held on remand. It was an expensive habit.

"Thankfully, it was not Class A drugs (that he was addicted to or dealing).”

The judge, Recorder Ayesha Smart told him: “You were caught four times all in all. I accept your remorse is genuine and there is a distinct lack of maturity.”

She jailed him for 18 months, but suspended it for 24 months, telling him that if he puts another foot wrong, he would be locked up. He was also given 15 rehabilitation days and 150 hours of unpaid work.