Tens of thousands of pounds worth of drugs and cash were seized by officers who managed to take down the ‘Tiger Line’ drug network, a court has heard.

Nine men appeared before the courts after their involvement in the class A drug dealing conspiracy in Burnley in 2021.

Officers were first made aware of the operation in February of that year after they saw a man drug dealing near Abel Street.

After this, they encountered more and more deals of heroin and crack cocaine around the town.

Throughout the operation, officers seized a total of 107.35 grams of diamorphine, known more commonly as heroin, and 44.5 grams of crack cocaine.

They also seized £22,850 in cash, weapons including a knuckle duster, machete, and a hammer, as well as drug paraphernalia such as scales and snap bags.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the ‘Tiger Line’ was led by conspirators Mohammed Hamza Khan, of March Street, Burnley, and Abdul Ahad, of Kent Street, Burnley.

Also involved were Abdul Alam, also of Kent Street, Burnley, Mohammad Saghir, of no fixed abode and Abdul Basit, of Clive Street, Burnley.

Mohammed Shafi, of Ormerod Road, Burnley, and Mohammed Ahmed, of Arley Gardens, Burnley were also ‘significantly’ involved in the group at a street dealing level.

Aaron Hanson, of Plover Street, Burnley, and Viliam Stas, of Clough Road, Nelson, were involved at a street dealing level, having pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine.

The other seven pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Two other men have already been sentenced for their involvement in the conspiracy.

During the investigation, officers discovered Khan and Ahad were at the helm of the operation.

They found Khan, 26, was leading the street dealers, telling them what to do and picking up after the dealers following their arrests. Officers also found £14,000 in cash at his home.

Ahad, 27, was running the ‘Tiger Line’ phone and telling Saghir what to do.

Phone evidence shows Ahad’s ‘clear involvement’ including that his personal phone was utilising the same mast at the ‘Tiger Line’ between March 1 and June 10, running the line after others had been arrested.

Mitigating for Ahad, Allan Armbrister said Ahad is remorseful that his actions will mean he will spent the rest of his 20s and some of his 30s in custody.

Evidence showed Alam, 24, was ‘bagging up’ for the group, with Snapchat messages revealing his involvement.

Mitigating for Alam, Phillip Holden argued he was for involved only a very short period in the conspiracy.

Saghir, 40, packaged up and dealy the drugs, and admitted in interview his involvement, saying he only got involved after losing his job and being threatened with becoming homeless, as he was offered a flat to live in if he helped with the operation.

Basit, 24, was in high contact with the main defendants in the case, having played an active role in the conspiracy, according to phone data.

Sukhdev Garcha, mitigating for Basit, said he was ‘regretful and remorseful’, feeling he has ‘severely’ let his family down.

Shafi, 36, Ahmed, 25, Hanson, 19, and Stas, 23, were all arrested by police after being caught street dealing as part of the operation.

Helena Williams, for Shafi, said he was brought into the group under ‘duress’ as he needed to pay off a drug debt.

Mr Garcha, who also represented Ahmed, said he had pleaded guilty, has no relevant previous convictions and he did not seek to ‘blame anyone else’ for his involvement.

Kristian Kavanagh, representing Hanson, said he was just 17 at the time he got involved in the conspiracy and he did not know how big it was.

Mitigating for Stas, David James said he has not been involved in any crime since his arrest and he has matured over the past two years.

Mr James said Stas now has a two-year-old daughter who he cares for two days a week and financially supports.

The men are due to be sentenced on Friday, January 20.