A DRUG dealer who brought cocaine and heroin from London into Southend to sell on the streets of the city has been jailed.

Abdullah Khan, 22, worked as a runner for a drugs gang and was responsible for bringing class A drugs to Southend and selling them to users.

The gang is believed to have run an operation to bring drugs to Southend over seven months from September 6, 2022 to April 29, 2023 but Khan’s involvement became known to police on April 27 last year.

Upon his arrest on April 28 at a Southend address, he was found with £590 in his possession and gave a “largely no comment” interview to police.

Khan pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug of Class A to another on August 2.

He appeared in Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, February 1, for sentencing.

Stacey Holland, prosecuting, said: “During his police interview, Mr Khan did say that he contacted police a few days before his arrest.

“He told officers that he was being forced to stay in a co-defendant’s house where the drugs were being dealt from in Southend.”

Khan has been remanded in custody since his arrest and spent 228 days behind bars until his sentencing date.

Khurram Arif, mitigating, explained how Khan has spent his time in custody.

He said: “In my submission Mr Khan’s role is really somewhat limited and low in the context of the wider criminality of this case.

“This is his first time in custody and he’s had limited family visits and that is because of his own shame as he did not want his family to see him in custody.

“The loss of liberty has really reminded him of his actions and he has the opportunity to work upon release with his father’s electricians business.”

His Honour Judge Ian Graham sentenced Khan in court.

He said: “Mr Khan your involvement was very small as you managed to get mixed up in a pretty serious drugs operation.

“The prosecution accepts yours is of a lesser role and you were acting under direction and they characterise you as a runner.”

Khan, of Kilmartin Road, Ilford, was sentenced to 18 months in prison concurrently on both counts of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug of Class A to another.