AN ASPIRING accountant began dealing Class A drugs to fund a fresh start in London, a court heard.

Selim Javed, aged 25, had even moved away to Turkey to get away from bad influences.

But in desperate need of cash, Javed was caught red-handed with thousands of pounds worth of heroin and cocaine which was being distributed as part of an operation known as the 'Gucci line', which flooded the streets of Bury with illegal drugs.

Rachel White, prosecuting, said that police officers received a call at around 11.15am on November 27 2019 from a member of the public saying three men were outside his front door.

Officers attended the scene on Kestrel Drive in Bury found Javed with another man standing by a car which they denied was theirs.

A golf club was found underneath the vehicle and both men were searched with officers finding that both had two mobile phones, including burner phones which were being used as a "shop-line" for selling Class A drugs.

A car key was found nearby and the vehicle was searched with officers finding 74 wraps of high purity cocaine and 127 of heroin, digital scales and an ID card for Argos in the name of Javed.

It later emerged Javed, who had no previous convictions, worked at Argos in Bury.

The men were taken into custody at Wigan Police Station and searches took place at Javed's home on New Cateaton Street, Bury.

While the pair were in custody, Javed's burner phone received a number of texts and calls ordering drugs and texts were found advertising drugs for sale identifying the sellers as 'Gucci'.

The overall street value of the drugs recovered was estimated at £1,880.

Sara Haque, defending, said: "The defendant has tried to make amends for the decisions he made and the position he put himself in.

"He has ruined his life. He is intelligent, academically strong and hardworking but clearly not street-smart in any way.

"He cannot now become a chartered account having achieved extremely high grades."

Passing a sentence of 28 months imprisonment, Judge Mark Savill, said: "He has stupidly be drawn into the web of a more serious player in the drug dealing fraternity but he wasn't just the man behind the wheel."

Addressing Javed, who pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply, Judge Savill, added: "This was a significant and well-organised drug dealing operation on the streets.

"You had a telephone, there was drug dealing going on and you had an operational function within that chain with an expectation of financial reward.

"You had every chance in life and you've thrown it away and your parents must be broken hearted. If ever there was a salutary tale of the misery dealing drugs causes, not only to those who are addicted and buy those drugs, but to those who sell them, this is it.

"You were a young man with a bright future and I'm afraid you've thrown that all away."