A newsagent with ‘huge ambitions’ decided we wanted ‘some of the action’ after finding that drugs were being dealt from the shop he ran.
Dana Ahmed, 28, was arrested after police raided the Bradshawgate News Ltd he ran with his business partner, finding cannabis, cocaine, cash and assorted drug paraphernalia more than two years ago.
Bolton Crown Court heard how he had appeared to have taken charge of a drug ring operating from the shop’s storeroom.
Alison Mather, prosecuting, said: “There were a number of messages on Mr Ahmed’s phone showing him to be involved in drug dealing.”
She added: “They show that not only was he not intimidated but he had rented or taken over one of the drug lines.”
Ms Mather told the court how when police raided the shop on January 25 2020 they found eight snap bags of cannabis behind the counter and Ahmed, of Victoria Grove, Bolton, upstairs with a key.
The key opened a cashbox that was found to contain just under £7,500 worth of cocaine, while the officers also discovered wraps with traces of diamorphine, digital scales and what appeared to be a debtors list.
The messages found on his phone concerned the supply of drugs and even discussed the possibility of smuggling in cannabis from Holland.
According to Ms Mathers, Ahmed had been involved in drug dealing from the Bradshawgate shop between October 4 2019 up until his arrest.
Ahmed initially denied being involved in dealing drugs when interviewed by the police and pleaded not guilty to possession of cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply before the magistrates court.
Ms Mather said that Ahmed had continued to deny responsibility until changing his plea to guilty on what was to be the first day of his trial, the latest possible opportunity.
Russell Davies, defending, admitted that the texts revealed Ahmed to be far more involved in drug dealing than he previously claimed and that he had shown a ‘reluctance’ to accept responsibility for his actions.
But, Mr Davies, argued, Ahmed still deserved credit for having eventually pleaded guilty.
He said: “It may be that despite the overwhelming weight of the evidence the defendant has simply not been prepared to face up to it.”
Mr Davies told the court that Ahmed had discovered the storeroom was being used by drug dealers and, not believing there was any chance of getting them out, decided he wanted ‘part of the action.’
He claimed that Ahmed had ‘huge ambitions’ to run the shop as a legitimate business, to eventually open up additional branches and that references showed that dealing drugs was ‘entirely out of character’ for the 28-year-old, who has not previous convictions.
Recorder Ciaran Rankin accepted that the case was ‘to some degree, something of a tragedy’ but said he had no option but to jail Ahmed for his crimes.
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He said: “Those who deal in Class A drugs must know that almost without exception it must result in an immediate custodial sentence.”
Addressing Ahmed, he added: “From all the evidence found it was quite clear that you were selling drugs from that shop.”
Recorder Rankin sentenced Ahmed to a total of two years and six months in prison.
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