A DRUG dealer who ran a ‘substantial’ operation in Burnley has been jailed for five and a half years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how 30-year-old Amjad Khan had hundreds of messages on three mobile phones linking him to supplying heroin and cocaine.

And although he was never found with any Class A drugs and police never found any responses to requests from customers on his phone, Judge Ian Leeming said he had no doubt Khan was dealing heroin and cocaine.

Judge Leeming said it was only the fact he had never been caught with Class A drugs that he was unable to jail him for longer.

Khan pleaded not guilty to charges of being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine but was found guilty after trial. Those offences took place between November 2013 and April 2014.

He also denied a single count of possession of heroin with intent to supply but was found guilty by a jury. That was in relation to a single incident on February 17, 2014.

Khan did admit to possessing cannabis between November 2013 and April 2014.

Prosecutor Roger Brown told the court that Khan had hired cars with insurance premiums going into the thousands and had been stopped by police on numerous occasions and found to have small amounts of cannabis on him.

On one occasion police seized three phones which were found to have 278 messages, which they said were requests from customers for Class A drugs.

The court heard there was also one message from a man asking if he could work for Khan.

Defending, Bunty Batra, said his client was suffering with Crohn’s disease which would make prison hard for him.

Mr Batra said: “He is still only 30 years old. He still lives at home with his parents.

“He is not a man who has any means. He has no bank account.

“He is a very vulnerable young man who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

“That is very debilitating and will mean his time in prison will not be easy.”

Judge Leeming also made a forfeiture and destruction order for the drugs and mobile phones.