The final member of a Bradford-based criminal gang, involved in a multi-million pounds drugs conspiracy, has been given a lengthy prison sentence.

Zaid Iqbal, 32, was jailed for 16 years at Bradford Crown Court this week for his part in the conspiracy.

Iqbal, of Rochdale, was found guilty of organising the transportation of five kilograms of cocaine. He had pleaded guilty to his involvement in four other class A drugs offences that were uncovered as part of a major police operation.

Operation Stet, which involved West Yorkshire Police, the Greater Manchester force and the Dutch National Drugs Unit, ran for 18 months, and investigated the large scale supply of class A drugs. In total, 25 men were sentenced, and police seized more than 50 kilograms of class A drugs with a street value of over £10million.

Ringleader Mohammed Shaukat, 37, of Allerton Road, Allerton, Bradford, and his operations manager Abuhassan Rehman, 30, of Peckover Drive, Pudsey, co-ordinated the purchase and supply of heroin and cocaine for the gang. They previously received prison sentences of 18 years and ten and a half years respectively.

Iqbal was shown to have been heavily involved in Shaukat and Rehman’s operations, which included transporting 20 kilograms of heroin from Holland into the country. The drugs were seized and two men arrest on the M5 motorway in November, 2009.

Jail sentences of around 70 years have been given out to gang members, including six years and four months given to 25-year-old Mohammed Azeem, of Toller Grove, Heaton, Bradford.

Detective Sergeant Jason Barron, of West Yorkshire Police, said yesterday: “Iqbal’s sentencing is the icing on the cake for Operation Stet, a huge operation that has resulted in the dismantling of a large and highly organised gang whose international criminality aimed to bring millions of pounds worth of dangerous drugs onto our counties’ streets.

“We are delighted to see Iqbal behind bars for this significant term, and his sentence, along with the lengthy sentences given to all of the others dealt with by the courts, should send a clear message that if you are involved in any criminal activity, whether you are the co-ordinator, the distributor or are assisting a criminal in concealing their criminal activities, then you will be caught and you will be punished.”