Leeds drug dealer locked up after business cards promising 'anything, anytime' handed out to students

Bilal Khan, 27, was behind a drugs operation known as the ‘Casper’ line, predominantly targeting student areas of the city. Police were first made aware of Casper line business cards being distributed in October last year.

The cards promised “anything, anytime” as well as operating times and the offer of a “freebie”. The phone number listed on the cards was linked to Khan’s home address, Leeds Crown Court heard this week.

After a police investigation, officers raided a property in Hawksworth Road, Horsforth, on March 31 this year. Khan was in the property and police found two large ‘bags for life’ full of cocaine, with a street value of £960.

There was a large quantity of cannabis, with a street value of £8,350, as well as caffeine which is frequently used as a cutting agent. The house was littered with drugs paraphernalia including small zip ‘dealer bags’, disposable gloves, scales and grinders. Police also seized £310 cash, three iPhones and an ID card in Khan’s name.

Khan had a key for a vehicle parked outside the property, which had 50 individual deals of cannabis inside. When police raided his home address, they also found a large quantity of cannabis in a shed along with six boxes of the business cards bearing his number.

When police seized his iPhone, they found a Snapchat conversation where the defendant was organising and designing the production of the business cards. The conversation began in June last year and the designs were finalised in September.

Prosecuting, Catherine Silverton said this was evidence that Khan was running the Casper line. She added: “The defendant clearly had some control over this line and was operating it as a business. He must have had an expectation to gain some financial advantage.”

Khan, of Sandford Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty to possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply and possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply. He has a previous conviction for dealing cannabis in 2020 and the court heard he was “given a chance” at the time and handed a suspended sentence.

Rick Holland, mitigating, said Khan admitted to being part of the operation, but that he wasn’t acting alone and that his involvement in dealing cannabis was “more extensive” than it was for the cocaine.

Mr Holland said: “This is not the sort of business that could be run simply by one person. He certainly wasn’t the person that was, ultimately, in charge of the whole network. He plainly was an important part of what took place.”

The judge, Simon Phillips KC, said Khan had a “leading role” in dealing cannabis and a “significant role” in dealing cocaine.

Sentencing Khan to 63 months in prison, Judge Phillips said: “You’ve shown a determination to remain involved in the drugs trade. I hope that the outcome of this investigation means that you recognise your future must lie elsewhere - namely, in a law abiding one. It is to be hoped that you put the sentence that you must now serve to productive use.”