FIVE men have been jailed after they were caught in an undercover police drugs operation. Bolton Crown Court heard that during the police "sting" operation, the wholesale drug dealers were tricked into handing over £90,000 worth of heroin.

Mr Alaric Bassano, prosecuting, described how undercover detectives identified only as "Jimmy" and "Tony" were met outside Bolton's Reebok Stadium and supplied with nearly one kilogram of heroin, worth £92,000 at street level, for a purchase price of £24,000.

As soon as the deal had been completed other police officers pounced to arrest five men involved in the transaction. All five pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin.

Farook Adam, 24, of Gaythorpe Street, Halliwell; Zia Ahmed, 22, of Blackburn Road; Javid Dad, 32, of Bedford Street; Asif Khushi, 27, of Fair Street, all Bolton; and Tanzim Khan, 24, of Greenhill Terrace, Oldham, all received prison sentences.

Mr Robert Marks, for Dad, said his client had been badgered by an acquaintance to deal in heroin after his scrap metal business had run into financial difficulties.

Khushi's barrister, Mr Russell Davies, said the operation was "amateurish" though Khushi was a successful businessman and director of a building company.

He added that the dealers had put themselves at great risk because the quality of their product was low. If they had been dealing with the underworld, they would have been likely to face retribution for supplying such a poor quality product. Mr Ahmed Nadim, for Khan, said his client had only become involved through friendship. Until the deal was struck, Khan had thought they were dealing in cannabis, Mr Nadim said.

Judge William Baker said that although it was claimed the five men were amateurish, their operation was in fact carefully planned.

Dad, identified by the judge as playing a major part in recruiting the team of dealers, was sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment. Khushi, Dad's partner, received a 6-year sentence. Adam and Ahmed both went to prison for five years and Khan for four years.

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