'Trusted teen lieutenant' in 'well-oiled drug-dealing machine' in Leeds caught selling to undercover officer

Officers latched onto Aamen Malik who was selling crack cocaine and heroin around the Harehills area and set about building a case against him.

An undercover officer became acquainted with the 19-year-old and bought drugs from him on seven separate occasions between August and September last year.

They also targeted a Malik’s next-in-command, Nathan Murphy, who was jailed for his part in the enterprise in November of last year.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Malik, who police initially thought was simply a drug “runner” – making deliveries to addicts – appeared to take over.

Malik was arrested during a raid on his home on Amberton Approach in Gipton at 6am on April 26 this year. There they found £5,400 of heroin, a large rock of cocaine worth £9,000, £450 in cash and drug-dealing paraphernalia including scales, cutting agents and dealer bags. Crucially, they also found mobile phones with Malik making references to his own “runners”, which put him higher up the chain in the drug operation than officers first thought. He refused to speak during his police interview. He later admitted seven counts of dealing Class A drugs.

Mitigating, Nicholas Parsons said that Malik was just 18 at the time of his offending, and his route into dealing was a “well-trodden path”, having amassed a £1,000 debt over his cannabis use.

He was then put to work by dealers to pay back the money he owed.

Mr Parsons said: “He was effectively reeled in. He accepts a significant role in storing and distributing Class A drugs. He knows the only sentence will be immediate custody.

"His family are ashamed of his descent into drugs. He thought he knew best, and now he will find himself behind bars."

Judge Robin Mairs jailed him for three years and told him: “You were part of a well-oiled Class A drug-dealing machine. You were involved in ‘ring and bring’ supplies. Sometimes you acted as a foot soldier but it’s clear you were much further up the chain than that.

"You were clearly exploiting others, this was not you repaying a debt, you were a trusted lieutenant.”