FOUR men have been locked up for a total of more than 14 years after a major police operation targeting “ring and bring” drug dealers in Bradford East.

The sting, using a female undercover officer posing as an addict, centred on the Leeds Road, Barkerend and Manningham areas of the city.

Eighteen defendants yesterday appeared at Bradford Crown Court for their alleged roles selling heroin and crack cocaine on the streets for drug operations including the Sully Line, the Smokes Line and the Tommy Line.

Bilal Ali, 21, of Whitby Road, Girlington, Bradford, was locked up for four years for peddling drugs for the Sully Line in April and May this year.

He pleaded guilty to two offences of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply and two counts of supplying them to law enforcement officer “Emily.”

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye said that Ali was driving a silver Ford Focus on April 12 when he supplied wraps of heroin and crack cocaine in Manningham.

On May 9 and 10, he was a passenger in a VW Golf on Manningham Lane when he sold drugs to undercover officer Emily.

Miss Kaye said that Ali was in charge of the Sully Lane that day and had £223 of drugs on him.

Ali, of previous good character, was a former hospital security guard who then worked as a warehouseman at Morrisons.

His barrister, Jonathan Turner, said he was dealing to pay off a drug debt.

Ali was married with a child and now clear of drugs.

Azad Khan, 22, of Pearson Street, Laisterdyke, Bradford, was imprisoned for two and a half years for three offences of supplying Class A drugs in February.

Miss Kaye said he was working for the Smokes Line in the Leeds Road area, dealing from a Ford Focus.

Khan had no previous convictions and was homeless at the time, his barrister Andrew Dallas said.

He was dealing to pay off a cannabis debt.

“It is tragic that he has let himself down in this way,” Mr Dallas said.

Khan stood in the dock with his head bowed as Judge Jonathan Rose said that Class A drugs were a blight on the city.

Ibrahim Shah, 20, whose address was given as HMP Doncaster, pleaded guilty to 11 charges of supplying Class A drugs and possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin between January and August.

He was locked up for four years and ten months after dealing for the Tommy Line on Sunbridge Road, Bradford.

Miss Kaye said that Shah offered a “buy one get one free” deal to Emily and she received texts advertising the line’s sale of drugs.

Shah sold drugs to Emily outside Tesco Express on Sunbridge Road, on Rawson Street, John Street and Manningham Lane.

He was arrested on April 7 with more than 30 wraps of Class A drugs on him and more than 70 wraps were found in clothing at his home, the court heard. His phone continued to ring while the police were talking to him.

Shah was released by the police under investigation and caught again dealing drugs in Ivegate in Bradford city centre on August 29. He was arrested with 11 wraps of drugs on him, including some of 95% purity.

Mr Turner, Shah’s barrister, said he worked in a warehouse until he began using Class A drugs and fell into debt. He was then expected to deal and man the phone for the Tommy Line.

Shah was selling drugs to addicts and not ensnaring people into using them for the first time.

He was locked up for four years, plus ten months after breaching a suspended sentence order for burglary.

His co-accused Shahbaaz Khan, 22, of Bempton Place, Little Horton, Bradford, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and one charge of supplying heroin to Emily.

Miss Kaye said that Khan worked with Shah on the Tommy Line. They were together when drugs were sold to Emily.

He was jailed for 32 months for drug dealing, plus two months for breach of a community order.

The court heard that Khan’s cannabis habit spiralled out of control and he was ordered to sell Class A drugs to pay it off. He had fallen into the wrong crowd but he was now back with his family and working at a takeaway.

Judge Rose said Shah and Khan were young men with no previous convictions for drugs offences. Both were given drugs “on tick” without realising they would have to deal on the streets to pay for them.

“The only way to fund Class A drug addiction is crime and the decent citizens of this city, and others, end up paying,” the judge said.

The other defendants had their sentences adjourned for probation reports or denied the allegations and their cases were adjourned for trial.