Twelve members of a Bradford-based organized crime network have been sentenced to a combined total of more than 100 years in prison following an extensive investigation by West Yorkshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit. The operation dismantled a sophisticated conspiracy responsible for supplying industrial quantities of Class A drugs and executing associated money laundering across Yorkshire, the Humber, and other regions.
Investigators established that the criminal enterprise was responsible for moving more than 135 kilograms of Class A drugs. During the inquiry, law enforcement officers successfully recovered 55 kilograms of illicit substances.
Leadership and Operations of the Bradford Gang
Police identified 35-year-old Idris Khan of Ashgrove, Bradford, as the ringleader of the criminal organization. Khan orchestrated the movement of large quantities of drugs using trusted couriers, including 23-year-old Akif Hashmi and 27-year-old Ibrahim Sajad.
The network’s operations faced a significant breakthrough in August 2025, when police intercepted Akif Hashmi. Officers found him in possession of 20 kilograms of drugs, 23 kilograms of additional illicit substances, and three packages of crack, carrying a combined estimated street value of £4.3 million. Hashmi’s 24-year-old wife, Kiran Mahmood, was present during the arrest and was subsequently taken into custody.
Further investigative work revealed that 38-year-old Ibras Khan acted as a major customer for the Bradford gang. Alongside his associate, 35-year-old Ataf Ali, Ibras Khan facilitated the movement of 31 kilograms of narcotics over a two-month period. Following his arrest in April 2025, forensic analysis of two seized mobile phones proved his direct integration with the gang. Data extraction demonstrated that between August 2024 and April 2025, Ibras Khan oversaw the supply of over 52 kilograms of drugs and accumulated £364,992 in illicit cash.
Sentences Handed Down at Bradford Crown Court
The defendants appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Monday, October 12, where judge and counsel addressed the massive scale of the operation. The 12 individuals sentenced at the hearing received the following prison terms:
- Idris Khan, 35, of Ashgrove, Bradford – 16 years for conspiracy to supply drugs.
- Ibras Khan, 38, of Naseby Rise, Queensbury, Bradford – 14 years and nine months for conspiracy to supply, possession with intent to supply, and possession of criminal property.
- Ataf Ali, 35, of Grange Drive, Bradford – 14 years and nine months for conspiracy to supply.
- Akif Hashmi, 23, of Moorland Lane, Tyersal, Bradford – 13 years and three months for conspiracy to supply.
- Moshin Mian, 30, of Westgate, Huddersfield – 12 years and four months for conspiracy to supply.
- Michael Littlewood, 38, of Sunnyhurst Avenue, Blackpool – 10 years and six months for conspiracy to supply, possession of criminal property, and possession with intent to supply.
- Ibrahim Sajad, 27, of Cavendish Court, Bradford – seven years and six months for conspiracy to supply.
- Noor Hamid Khan, 33, of Grimesthorpe Road, Sheffield – six years and three months for being concerned in the supply of drugs.
- Mohammed Usman, 30, of Lindley Road, Bradford – five years and three months for conspiracy to supply.
- Mohammed Usman, 44, of Courtnay Close, Bradford – five years and three months for conspiracy to supply.
- Muhammed Chaudhary, 34, of Queens Walk, Ashford – four years and six months for conspiracy to supply and possession.
- Kiran Mahmood, 24, formerly of Hazelwood Road, Bradford – three years and nine months for conspiracy to supply.
Two additional defendants await sentencing at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday, October 28. Moshin Bangash, 27, of Fairburn Gardens, Bradford, entered a guilty plea for conspiracy to supply, while Lukman Patel, 35, of Homeway Road, Leicester, was convicted following a trial.
Police Statement on Community Impact
Detective Inspector Kevin Daly of West Yorkshire Police’s Force Precision team praised the diligence of the officers involved in dismantling the high-level network.
“This was an incredibly complex investigation which involved the assistance of many officers to tackle a sophisticated conspiracy to supply class A drugs on an industrial scale. The supply of illegal drugs fuels crime and serious violence in our communities and has devastating impacts. By investigating all levels of the organised crime group, we struck those who profit greatly from criminality, and I hope these sentences send a clear message and reassure our communities.”
Authorities have encouraged members of the public who notice sus**cious behavior or potential drug dealing in their neighborhoods to report details to West Yorkshire Police through their online live chat service or specialized reporting portals.
