County lines drug dealer jailed for over four years

A drug dealer involved in a heroin and crack cocaine drugs supply line between West and North Yorkshire and Lancashire has been jailed for four and a half years.

According to West Yorkshire Police, officers from Operation Phoenix, the force's county lines taskforce, received details of a mobile number being used for drugs supply.

Officers found texts showing drugs sold by the "Jake Line" were linked to Iyaz Iqbal, and a "significant" amount of drugs and cash were found during a raid at his home in Keighley.

Iqbal, 37, of Whin Knoll Avenue, pleaded guilty to drugs offences, including possession and supply of heroin and crack cocaine, and was sentenced on Thursday at Bradford Crown Court.

During the raid at Iqbal's home in February, four mobile phones were also found, one of which was the confirmed dealer line, police said.

Cannabis, steroids, another phone and over £1,700 cash were also found and a large wooden baseball bat was behind the front door.

Meanwhile, police identified a vehicle outside and seized heroin and crack cocaine worth more than £15,000 from inside the house.

Iqbal was sentenced to a total of four years and six months imprisonment for being concerned in supply of heroin and crack cocaine, possession of criminal property and possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

After sentencing, Det Insp Helen Chapman, head of Operation Phoenix, said supplying drugs "fuels further criminality and violence in our communities".

She added that it "brings misery to the lives of individual users and their families" and said Operation Phoenix would continue to disrupt and dismantle county lines drug dealing.

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