A GANG which caused “misery” by openly dealing class A drugs in broad daylight across Keighley has been jailed.

The six men were sentenced at Bradford Crown Court under Operation Saucerlake, an undercover police sting that took place in the town from May to September last year.

Officers posed as drug users to come into contact with dealers and obtain telephone numbers for different lines of supply.

Once orders were made, usually for combinations of heroin and cocaine or crack cocaine, the drugs would be delivered by the defendants via a number of different vehicles or on foot.

Deals were often brazenly conducted in the vicinity of young people in schools or parks, and the operation was deemed necessary after concerns raised by the local police, councillors and communities.

Those involved would send out texts to drug users advertising deals and the quality of the product being offered, with discounts given for bulk purchasing.

During the operation, drugs were accessed by officers on 28 occasions via different supply lines, all dealing “openly in all manner of locations in central Keighley”.

Haider Mumtaz, 21, of Swallow Street, Keighley, was jailed for four and a half years after pleading guilty to 22 drugs trafficking offences.

He was part of the ‘Baby’ line and was involved in the sale of drugs on 19 separate occasions between May and September.

The line sent out advertising texts to its customers and operated a day and night phone number for a 24-hour service.

Mumtaz used a 16-year-old youth and a man known as Bad Boy to sell drugs in a “slick and professional” operation.

The line sold heroin and crack cocaine in children’s play areas and outside schools.

Javed Hussain, 47, of Bankfield Walk, Keighley, a ‘third strike’ drug dealer, was jailed for five years and eight months.

He was part of the ‘Khany’ line and pleaded guilty to supplying wraps of heroin on three occasions in August last year.

Waqas Ahmed, 22, of Spencer Street, Keighley, and Zaffar Iqbal, 47, of Mornington Street, Keighley, were both jailed for four years after admitting 21 and 12 offences respectively.

They were both involved in the ‘Billy’ and ‘Abbie’ supply lines, alongside Saqib Hussain, 23, of Barlow Street, Keighley, who admitted three offences and was jailed for three years.

Sohail Sadique, 22, of Belgrave Road, Keighley, said to have been involved in the ‘Carly’ supply line, was also jailed for three years after admitting ten offences.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, said it was evident the misuse of class A drugs had been “especially problematic” in the areas covered by the police operation.

“The terrible blight that is caused for society in general, and for so many individuals in particular, by the widespread misuse of class A drugs is widely known,” he said.

“The human misery, together with the considerable economic and social consequences, are truly awful.

“The drug dealing in these many cases almost universally took place in broad daylight in the middle of Keighley, in residential areas, and also in the town centre.

“Places such as community centres, parks, and children’s play areas are often referred to.

“Dealing in the vicinity of schools during school hours is also a feature of this open dealing of class A drugs.

“The presence of children as drug deals are being conducted is also something that occurs on occasions.

“Inevitably, anybody who chooses to involve themselves in the supply of class A drugs commits a very serious criminal offence and faces the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence.”

Inspector Khalid Khan, who leads the Keighley Area Neighbourhood Policing Team, added: “This operation was made possible by information given by the people of Keighley, and I hope this sends out a clear message that drug dealing will not be tolerated in this town.”

Further appearances from Operation Saucerlake are due next month.