Police have smashed a major organised crime network supplying wholesale quantities of cocaine and cannabis across West Yorkshire, with ten men handed prison sentences totalling more than 85 years.
A lengthy investigation by West Yorkshire Police exposed an industrial-scale drugs operation run from two distribution hubs in Halifax, with criminal connections stretching as far as Middlesbrough and Blackpool.
At the centre of the operation was Mohammed Hussain, 33, of Lemington Avenue, Halifax, who oversaw the storage, packaging and distribution of drugs from a flat in the Holmefield area and a second property on Saville Park Road.
Investigators found that Hussain controlled stock levels, organised transactions and coordinated deliveries, regularly meeting couriers and customers as part of the sophisticated supply network.
Working alongside him was his trusted associate, Zahid Shakoor, 34, who was frequently present at both addresses. Digital evidence helped detectives establish their involvement in the wider organised crime group.
Four kilos of cocaine, stolen shotguns and thousands in cash seized
The scale of the criminal enterprise became clear in November 2024, when officers arrested Hussain following a drugs exchange.
Police recovered 4kg of cocaine, 20kg of cannabis and £26,970 in cash, dealing a significant blow to the network.
Further searches of the properties uncovered two stolen shotguns and equipment associated with industrial-scale drug preparation and distribution.
The discovery highlighted not only the volume of drugs being circulated but also the potential threat posed by firearms linked to organised criminal activity.
Following Hussain’s arrest, the network was dismantled, with other members of the gang subsequently arrested.
Gang members sentenced at Bradford Crown Court
At Bradford Crown Court on Friday 30 October, ten men received immediate prison sentences, while an eleventh defendant was handed a suspended sentence.
The sentences were:
- Allah Yaar, 35, of Haigh Road, Lindley, Huddersfield – 14 years and three months for two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to possess criminal property.
- Zahid Shakoor, 34, of Hornby Terrace, Halifax – 13 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to possess criminal property.
- Mohammed Hussain, 33, of Lemington Avenue, Halifax – 12 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis, firearms offences and possession of criminal property.
- Muhammed Ahmed Khan, 36, of Lunedale Avenue, Middlesbrough – 10 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to possess criminal property.
- Mohammed Nadeem, 44, of Winchester Road, Middlesbrough – nine years and six months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to possess criminal property.
- Naveed Iqbal, 36, of Reservoir Road, Halifax – eight years and one month for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
- Joseph Ali, 27, of Highcroft Avenue, Blackpool – five years and seven months for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
- Mohammed Rana, 57, of Alwen Avenue, Huddersfield – five years for conspiracy to possess criminal property and fraud by false representation.
- Jordan Barker, 42, of Denbigh Avenue, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire – four years and three months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to possess criminal property.
- Ajmeer Miah, 22, of Gainsford Road, Sheffield – four years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to possess criminal property.
Zulfazah Khaliq Hussain, 42, of Washington Street, Bradford, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 24 months, for transferring criminal property and failing to comply with a notice under Section 49 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.
Police warn of violence and exploitation linked to organised crime
Detective Inspector Kevin Daly, of West Yorkshire Police’s Force Precision team, said the investigation had exposed the serious harm large-scale drug trafficking can inflict on communities.
“This was a huge investigation, and we know the devastating impact the supply and use of class A drugs can have.
“Large scale operations of this nature can drive associated criminality such as violence and exploitation across our neighbourhoods.
“Organised Crime Groups rely on firearms, violence and intimidation to maintain control over local drug markets, causing significant harm to our communities.”
DI Daly stressed that tackling organised crime remains a priority for the force, but said officers need the public’s help to identify those responsible.
“Tackling this is a priority, but we cannot do it alone. We rely on the support of communities to provide information. Every piece of information, no matter how small it may seem, can help us build a clearer picture and take action.”
Communities urged to report suspected drug dealing
The case highlights how organised drug networks can operate from seemingly ordinary residential properties, using local neighbourhoods as bases for criminal activity extending across county boundaries.
Police are urging residents who suspect drug dealing or organised criminal activity in their area to come forward.
Anyone with information can contact West Yorkshire Police on 101, use the force’s online live chat service at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat, or submit information through its dedicated drug dealing reporting service.
Police say even the smallest piece of information could help disrupt criminal networks and protect communities from the violence, intimidation and exploitation associated with organised drug crime.
