Drugs runner found in Stratford with £700 of heroin and crack
A COUNTY lines drugs runner has escaped being jailed despite being caught in Stratford with more than 60 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine.
Ibraheem Hussain pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to possessing quantities of the two drugs with intent to supply.
Hussain, of Baker Street, Sparkhill, Birmingham, was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years, with a rehabilitation activity, and was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work.
Prosecutor Michael Mason said that in August last year, two police officers on duty in Stratford saw Hussain coming from a canal towpath and getting into a Fiat Punto car. They believed he was acting suspiciously, so stopped the car in Timothy’s Bridge Road and searched the three occupants.
One of the others had some cannabis, but Hussain had £499 in cash and 22 clingfilm wraps of crack cocaine and 42 cigarette paper wraps of heroin, with a total street value of up to £680.
However, when he was interviewed, Hussain claimed the drugs were all for personal use, and the money had been loaned to him by a friend.
Mr Mason said Hussain had entered his guilty pleas on the basis that his role was that of a ‘runner,’ and that he had played a lesser role, which was accepted by the prosecution.
“We accept he is not the seller, but he’s still involved in the selling for street purposes,” said Mr Mason, adding that at the time Hussain was subject to a community order for assaulting an emergency worker.
Stephen Sweeney, defending, said: “He is now free of drugs. I am going to ask the court to suspend any sentence in his case. In custody the situation he may face is one of further bullying, and entrenchment in his difficulties.”
Sentencing Hussain, Recorder Michelle Heeley QC said: “I accept you were taking those drugs to Stratford as a runner, you were not selling directly yourself – but you were playing a part in this, and you were on a community order at the time.
“You could not complain if I sent you immediately to custody. Drugs are a scourge on society.”