Drug dealer on the run for NINE years claimed he 'forgot' to hand himself in to West Yorkshire Police

Sabir Zada skipped police bail back in 2011 after he was arrested during an undercover operation to catch class A drug dealers in Wakefield.

Since then the 29-year-old has managed to remain at large despite reporting at an immigration centre every six months.

Zada was finally arrested in March this year when authorities realised he was wanted for drug dealing.

He was jailed for 18 months over the offences which date back to the summer of 2011.

Zada, then aged 20, was arrested after an operation by undercover detectives to catch street dealers selling heroin and crack cocaine on the streets.

Lydia Carroll, prosecuting, said Zada sold wraps of heroin and crack cocaine to undercover officer 'Lucy' on six occasions near to a primary school and a children's playground.

The officer first met Zada on June 13, 2011, when she paid him £10 for a wrap of crack cocaine.

The next day the officer received a text message from a drug dealing line known as the 'Dee line'.

The detective placed a further order for crack cocaine and met the defendant where he was handed £20 for more of the class A drug.

The officer continued to meet Zada near to a park on Berners Street where heroin or crack cocaine was purchased.

Zada was arrested on August 11 and found in possession of heroin, crack cocaine and a mobile phone.

The defendant was interviewed and claimed to have found the drugs on the floor the previous day and kept hold of them.

He said he had been on his way to the barbers when stopped by police.

Zada was bailed and told he had to hand himself in at a police station on November 27, 2011.

Zada failed to answer bail and remained at large until his arrest in March this year.

During that time he had been reporting at an immigration centre on a half-yearly basis.

When interviewed about the offences, Zada admitted selling the drugs on behalf of a man called Khalid.

He said he had sold drugs to fund his own habit.

Zada claimed he had forgotten to go to the police station and had moved to Burton upon Trent.

He pleaded guilty to six offences of supplying a class A drug and two of possessing a class A drug with intent to supply.

Mark McKone, mitigating, said Zada, now of Sheffield Street, Burton upon Trent, was no longer addicted to drugs.

The barrister said Zada had a girlfriend and had not been in trouble since 2011.

He said: "This is a defendant who is totally rehabilitated.

"He is clearly not a British national.

"He would like to remain living in the UK but he does not know whether he will be deported."

Sentencing Zada, Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said: "You chose to disappear and failed to attend at the police station when you were required to do so.

"When you were arrested in March this year you said you had forgotten to go back to the police station.

"I'm sorry, I do not accept that explanation.

"It was a deliberate attempt by you to avoid the legal process that was to follow."