Five men were jailed for a total of 42 years today after police smashed a major Bradford-based heroin and cocaine ring.

The gang were netted by Operation Eldorado, a long-running investigation by West Yorkshire Police Drugs and Organised Crime Group.

The gang’s “money man” – David Romani, 48, of Beacon Brow, Buttershaw, Bradford – was locked up for 12 years at Bradford Crown Court yesterday. He was convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and money laundering after a lengthy trial.

Also convicted of the conspiracy were Andrew Bullock, 31, of Middlesex, who was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, and Joseph Housen, 30, of Harehills, Leeds, who was jailed for six years.

Brothers Shamsul Islam, 31, and Shafiqul Ali, 28, both of St George’s Place, Little Horton, Bradford, were locked up for eight and nine years respectively last year for their roles in the drugs plot.

Their sentences could not be reported until the trial of the other three defendants was over.

Operation Eldorado began in Bradford and Leeds and spread to Manchester, Liverpool, Northamptonshire and London.

The operation involved covert surveillance and the recovery of substantial amounts of heroin, cocaine and cash.

*For more on this story see Thursday’s Telegraph & Argus