Drug dealers nailed in sting - Sheffield Star

DRUG dealers plaguing Sheffield communities have been jailed after selling heroin and crack to police in an undercover sting.

The officers posed as junkies on the streets of Fir Vale and Page Hall.

Judge Robert Moore told Sheffield Crown Court: "There are certain areas of Sheffield that have been taken over by drugs. In order to protect the public police have to intervene with targeted operations.

"The only way they can obtain reliable evidence against dealers is by conducting test purchases. The courts must do their bit to support those operations and they will do that with custodial sentences."

The court had been told Idris Farah, 20, turned to heroin dealing after taking on his jailed brother's drug debts. Earlier in the year Farah's brother was jailed for selling crack cocaine after being forced into dealing by drug barons.

Farah took on his debts to protect his family. He was filmed approaching two police officers on January 18 and selling them £15 of heroin. Farah, of De la Salle Drive, Pitsmoor, gave them his mobile number and told them to come back to him. They made two more purchases of heroin on February 14.

Zaiban Alam, defending, said: "His parents are inconsolable that yet another son has found his way down the same path."

He was sentenced to 21 months in a young offenders' institution.

Faisal Ahmed, of no fixed address, admitted six counts of supplying class A drugs and was sent to a young offenders' institute.

Officers first did a deal with him in January when he was with Farah. He then sold them heroin and cocaine in January and February.

Carlos Ellis, 26, of Foxglove Road, Shiregreen, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for supplying crack cocaine.

Youth worker Shemsan Shaif, 21, of Fairthorn Road, Sheffield, was spared a jail term after he admitted being the go-between in a telephone call during which undercover officers bought heroin. He was ordered to do 150 hours' unpaid work for the community.

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