A BRADFORD man has been jailed as part of a large-scale operation which has seen criminals jailed for more than 30 years and £140,000 of Class A drugs taken from the streets.

Corey Simpson, 20, of Hopbine Avenue, Bradford, was jailed for two years and nine months for drugs supply offences as part of the operation in Huddersfield.

It began in April 2018 as a test purchase operation with the aim to reduce drug related offending and particularly violent crime involving firearms and use of weapons believed to be directly linked to the supply of drugs.

Significant levels of intelligence were uncovered linking the firearms offences to supply of controlled drugs being facilitated by local gangs.

As part of the extensive investigation, 53 people were arrested after being identified as street drug dealers and also a number who were heavily involved in drug, firearms and gang-related criminality.

So far 37 of these people have been charged, 26 of whom are awaiting sentence.

In January 2019, there was a considerable spike in firearms offences, knife crime and violence involving other weapons which was linked to a feud between rival gangs.

There were multiple incidents involving firearms discharges in the first couple of months of the year and as a direct response to this, Kirklees District Police were supported by specialist officers from Force and District Programme Precision teams and began planned arrest phases to capture the perpetrators.

Those sentenced:

Ameer Rajab, 19, of Scott Vale, Deighton was jailed for 3 years 6 months for drugs supply offences

Troy Wallace, 22, of Harpe Inge, Dalton was jailed for 3 years 8 months for drugs supply offences

Joseph O’Neill, 22, of White Head Lane, Newsome, was jailed for 4 years for drugs supply offences

D’Andre Lawrence, 19 of Crossfields, Dalton, was jailed for 2 years 8 months for drugs supply offences

A 17-year-old male, from Huddersfield, was jailed for 3 years 9 months for multiple offences including possession of a shotgun and a handgun, along with several rounds of ammunition, possession of three wraps of crack cocaine, and drugs supply offences.

Susan Heaver, 43, of Hexham Green, Milnsbridge, was convicted and given a 20 month suspended sentence for drugs supply offences.

Steven Clownes, 41, of Eden Drive, Doncaster, was given a 2 year community order for drugs supply offences.

Moazam Hussain, 25, of Style Common Road, Newsome, was jailed for 3 years 4 months for drugs supply offences.

Paul Broadley, 47, of Baker Street, Lindley, was jailed for 20 months for drugs supply offences.

Shoaib Aslam, 19, of Bromley Road, Birkby, was jailed for 3 years 4 months for Drugs supply offences.

Adam Hamilton, aged 25 of Stewart Place, Bradley was jailed for 3 years 2 months for drugs supply offences.

Corey Simpson, 20, of Hopbine Avenue, Bradford, was jailed for 2 years 9 months for drugs supply offences.

Other significant sentences include two men charged after £140,000 of Class A drugs were seized, £35,000 in cash and a gold bullion.

Mohammed Aasim Khalid, 26, of Moorlands Edge, Mount, was jailed for 4 years 6 months for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

Mohammed Faisal Shahid, 26, of Moorlands Crescent, Mount, was jailed for 6 years 8 months, for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

Detective Chief Inspector Fiona Gaffney, who led the operation in Kirklees, said: “This has been an extensive and long-standing operation in Huddersfield which has resulted in a significant amount of prison sentences and drugs and weapons seized from the District’s streets.

“A large part of this operation has been covert, we worked closely with Force Programme Precision and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Crime Unit and it is with this capability and through the officers dedication and diligence that we have been able to make significant steps to disrupt and eradicate drug and violent crime in Huddersfield.

“We hope that our communities will be reassured that we take a robust approach to organised and serious crime and we do recognise that recent incidents have caused a considerable amount of concern amongst our residents and we having ongoing operations still running within Huddersfield and Kirklees to continue to disrupt the criminality activity of these individuals who are responsible.

“The community has a vital role in assisting the police tackle this type of criminality. We have received a huge quantity of intelligence from our communities which has led to arrests and convictions and I would continue to urge people to come forward with any information about any criminal activity or suspicious behaviour in their area. We will act upon intelligence passed to us and bring those criminals to justice.”

Anyone with any information is urged to come forward to the police via 101 or alternatively they can contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.