Drug dealer who 'peddled misery of crack and heroin' through Harrogate is jailed

Mohammed Khizer, 22, was part of a so-called county lines drug dealing operation inflicting misery across the town.

York Crown Court heard how Khizer was arrested by police in Harrogate three times in just 11 days back in January.

He was seen driving through a red light in Oxford Street on January 11, and was stopped by police.

Officers became suspicious and searched his vehicle where they found a small amount of cocaine, £335 in cash and two mobile phones.

He also failed a drugs test and was arrested, but released pending further investigations.

Six days later, police were called following reports an Audi, driven by Khizer, was acting suspiciously in the Starbeck area and when officers tried to speak to the driver he sped off. A high speed pursuit followed before the car stopped in Skipton Road and police recovered 20 wraps of heroin and cocaine.

On Janaury 22, officers patrolling known drug hotspots in Harrogate stopped and searched three men, one of whom was Khizer. After searching him and a Volkswagen car parked near by which Khizer had the keys for, police recovered 60 wraps of cocaine and heroin.

Khizer, of Percival Street, Bradford, pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply, one count of possessing heroin with intent to supply and one charge of dangerous driving.

He was jailed for 62 months and banned from driving for 67 months.

He was ordered to take an extended driving test before he gets his licence back.

PC Tom Bacon, of Harrogate police, said: “Not only did Khizer pedal the misery of cocaine and heroin in Harrogate, he also put numerous lives at risk by driving erratically through the town and surrounding area in an attempt to escape the police.

“County lines drug dealing remains a key priority for North Yorkshire Police and we hope this latest sentence sends a clear warning of the consequences of getting drawn into what is a violent and dangerous world.”