FOUR members of a family who flooded the city with heroin and crack cocaine and dealt to thousands of drug addicts out of their East Oxford home have been jailed.

Brothers Nadeem Ahmed, 35, Wasim Ahmed, 33, and Arshad Ahmed, 40, were sentenced behind bars along with their 77-year-old father Din Ahmed for a combined total of more than 20 years.

Dealing high purity heroin and cocaine across the city and from their Hurst Street home, Judge Peter Ross told Oxford Crown Court how they inflicted ‘misery’ on the community through their ‘evil trade’.

The Ahmed family was busted after an undercover police officer - codenamed Rich - infiltrated the gang and discovered the use of a ‘Rugrats line’, a mobile phone number named after the 1990’s children’s TV series, which they used to deal Class A substances thousands of times between August 8, 2016 and January 24 this year.

Yesterday, Nadeem Ahmed and Wasim Ahmed were jailed for seven years and six month and six years and eight months respectively. Their older brother Arshad Ahmed and father Din Ahmed were jailed for four years each for their part in the illegal enterprise.

Sentencing, Judge Peter Ross said the gang’s dealing ‘clearly had an impact’ on the community, adding he knew first-hand the ‘misery’ the ‘evil trade’ caused members of the public. Judge Ross said: “I see with my own eyes the absolute misery that your evil trade produces.

“I frequently liken those involved in the organised drug trade as being like people who throw a pebble into a pond. The ripples from this action spread throughout our communities.”

He added the gang was ‘clearly’ run by Wasim and Nadeem Ahmed, but said Din and Arshad also played significant roles.

The family dealt heroin at a high purity between 35 and 60 per cent, when it is usually found in the low 20s.

The operation is believe to have involved more than 10,000 customers.

Prosecuting Matthew Walsh said the undercover officer came across the ‘Rugrats line’ after speaking to drug users.

The phone was later analysed and showed 552 unique numbers with an average of 62 incoming and 66 outgoing calls per day on its records.

Police also found a total of £44,470 in cash at the property in various wrapped up bundles, mostly hidden in the floorboards. There was also numerous wraps of heroin and cocaine left at the house.

Mr Walsh said that the East Oxford community had been left ‘scared’ and in fear of reprisals as a result of the drug dealing.

In mitigation, defence barristers said that the family had been marred by an addiction to drugs. Defending, Peter Du Feu said: “It’s a household that has been blighted not only by the actions with this activity and what has happened but also to addiction.”

Waseem Ahmed, Nadeem Ahmed, Din Ahmed and Arshad Ahmed all pleaded guilty.