FOUR drug dealers will spend a combined 31 years behind bars for a plot to import more than £400,000 of high grade cocaine into Bradford from South America.

Evidence of the sophisticated plot first emerged in April 2013 when a cocaine shipment was intercepted at Heathrow airport by customs officials who found the drugs concealed in boxes of milk powder sent by air freight from Ecuador.

The package was marked for a delivery address in Bradford, resulting in West Yorkshire detectives becoming involved in the investigation.

As enquiries progressed, they identified the Manchester-based suspects and uncovered they had set up fake business premises in Bradford city centre from which they intended to begin distributing 2.24 kilos of cocaine worth £440,000.

Today, Salim Patel, 33, Sabbir Munshi, 33, Faizal Nanlawala, 30, and Suhail Khojani, 32, were jailed at Manchester Crown Court after they all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import class A drugs.

Patel, of Armadale Road, Bolton, was jailed for eight years and four months, Munshi of Fletcher Street, Bolton, was locked up for seven years seven months, Nanlawala of Bolton Road, Bolton, was sentenced to seven years seven months, and Khojani of Ellsmore Road, Manchester was imprisoned for eight years.

The investigation was carried out by West Yorkshire Police's Crime Division with assistance from the National Crime Agency and Greater Manchester Police.

Acting Detective Sergeant Mark Higginbottom of West Yorkshire Police, said: “All four of these men live outside of our county but were intent on distributing this highly pure cocaine in to Bradford and across our region.

“I hope their sentences send a very clear message that anyone intent on bringing drugs into our region should expect to come to the attention of West Yorkshire officers. We will find you and we will bring you to justice.”

Detective Inspector Neil Hollis of West Yorkshire Police. added: “This was a sophisticated conspiracy in which these men had established a distribution network with suppliers in Ecuador and a fake made arrangements to import high purity Class A drugs into the UK.

“In doing so they set up an entirely fake business premises in the centre of Bradford to provide a front for them to send the drugs on to.

“They were foiled through a perfect example of cross agency co-operation through which police and partner agencies across the country worked together to unpick their scheme.

“Collaboration such as this, both nationally and internationally,  is an increasing reality of 21st century policing and criminals should expect to be pursed no matter what lengths they go to cover their tracks.”