A drug user who was caught red-handed by police with a large quantity of drugs in his pockets claimed he was holding them for ‘safekeeping’, a court heard.

Officers executed a search warrant at Mazier Fazaldad’s home on Stanley Street in Accrington and found two ‘cloth pouches’ in his pockets.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the 41-year-old had 28 bags of mephedrone, six bags of amphetamine and half an ounce of cocaine.

A search of the property also revealed two more half-ounce bags of cocaine worth £60 and three wraps of cannabis worth £40.

Fazaldad, 41, claimed the drugs and a mobile phone belonged to a friend who had just ‘nipped out’ to complete a drug deal and he was holding them in his pockets for ‘safekeeping’.

He pleaded guilty to possessing class B drugs and being concerned in the supply of class B drugs and jailed for 27 months.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, told the court how police attended his house on March 8, 2013 to execute the warrant but ‘simply walked in’ as the door was open.

They seized the drugs along with £95 cash and a mobile phone on the table.

The court heard messages were found on the phone requesting drugs with one saying: “Hiya Maz. How are you? Please may I have £20 bubble and £25 whizz? Will pay £40 now and £5 Sunday.”

Mr Parker said ‘bubble’ is a reference to mephedrone and ‘whizz’ refers to amphetamine and further messages relating to drug requests all began with the words ‘Maz’.

When interviewed by police, Fazaldad claimed a friend, who he bought his drugs from, had come to his house to play cards and brought the drugs and phone with him.

Fazaldad told officers he decided to put the drugs in his pockets for safe keeping.

He said other people were in the house ‘to play cards’ and didn’t want them ‘helping themselves’ to the drugs.

Mr Parker said Fazaldad claimed it was ‘coincidental’ and ‘unfortunate’ that police arrived at his house at the same time and found the drugs on him.

He said Fazaldad also denied owning the phone and that it belonged to his friend with a similar name.

Mr Parker told the court that when the police were at the house they spotted two people approaching the property from the back, including a man on a bike who ‘had some money on him’.

A police officer climbed over the back yard fence and the man cycled off along a female who was shouting the name ‘Maz’.

When Fazaldad was questioned in court by defending solicitor Ken Hind, he denied being a ‘street level drug dealer’.