A ‘MID-LEVEL dealer’ caught with heroin worth almost £10,000 in his car by police, has been locked up for four years.

Addict Jason Ramsey, 36, was said to be dealing to street users and other suppliers.

He was arrested after undercover officers carried out observations on him last September and October.

They had seen drugs customers approach his rented car in the Burnley and Nelson areas, Burnley Crown Court was told.

Father-of-three Ramsey, described by his solicitor as a ‘foot soldier’, also had £2,400 cash in the vehicle when he was detained last October.

Police recovered drugs-related messages from his mobile phone. One said: “Come on I’m dying. Are you going to make me suffer?”

The defendant, of Wellesley Street, Burnley, had admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin, between last September 11 and October 25 and possessing 161.47 grams of the drug with intent to supply, last October 24.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said Ramsey was arrested in Operation Bravada, which targeted suspected drug dealers.

They carried out covert surveillance on the defendant and saw people going to his car in Padiham, Fence, Nelson and Burnley.

Mr Parker said Ramsey was arrested on October 24, after officers saw him on the forecourt of a petrol station on Netherfield Road, Nelson. He was using his mobile phone and a number of other phones were in the car. The defendant stopped his call when spoken to by police and one of the other phones started ringing.

Ramsey had a large wrap of heroin on his lap. The defendant told police: “There’s a couple of ounces under the seat.” Officers looked and found a carrier bag, containing heroin, money, scales and drugs packaging.

The hearing hear the heroin under the seat was worth £6,300 on the streets and more bags of drugs, worth more than £3,000, were recovered from the driver's side roof lining. The total street value of the heroin seized was £9,810.

The prosecutor said the defendant's home was searched and police found the twisted tail -ends of plastic packaging. They tested positive for heroin. Ramsey, who the Crown would say was a mid- level dealer, will face a proceeds of crime hearing.

Nick Dearing, for Ramsey, said he felt genuine guilt, remorse and shame. The lawyer said: "He was acting under the directions of somebody much further up the chain. He was a foot soldier."