Seven men have together been jailed for more than 40 years for running a crack cocaine factory in central Bradford which was busted by police who seized drugs worth more than £200,000.

Tarendeep Takhar, 24, of Tyersal Road, Tyersal, Bradford, who was in charge of renting the apartment in Silens Works, Peckover Street, Little Germany, was locked up for seven and a half years.

He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and crack cocaine with intent to supply and production of crack cocaine.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday he was “the principal guardian” of the drugs and expecting substantial financial gain from his involvement in the plot.

Carlin Asquith, 26, of Holme Wood View, Bradford; Michael Cogley, 32, of Tong Road, Leeds; David Towers, 22, of Landseer Mount, Bramley, and Kyle Broadbent, 24, of Tyersal Road, Tyersal, Bradford, also admitted the offences.

Asquith, who had a previous conviction for supplying drugs, was jailed for nine years. Cogley was locked up for five years, Towers for three and a half years and Broadbent for seven years.

Craig Smithies, 42, of Brownroyd Hill Road, Wibsey, Bradford, and Daniel Crawley, 28, of Longfield Grove, Pudsey, were convicted by a jury of possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Smithies was jailed for four years and Crawley for five years.

Sinead Brown, 22, of Meadway, Woodside, Bradford, admitted permitting premises to be used for producing crack cocaine. The court heard she naively “turned a blind eye” to her then boyfriend Takhar’s involvement.

She was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Jonathan Rose said the crack factory was “a sophisticated and substantial commercial drugs operation”.

The apartment was secluded and access was gained through an electronic entry system.

“It was professional manufacturing of cocaine into crack cocaine on an extensive scale with potentially high rewards,” the judge said.

The men were motivated by greed as none but Towers was a drug user.

Prosecutor Adrian Dent said police smashed their way into the apartment on July 7 last year after putting up a hidden spy camera. All the defendants were caught on it using the premises.

Asquith, Cogley and Towers were arrested inside after arriving in a BMW.

Officers found cocaine and crack cocaine worth £209,000.

Mr Dent said officers swooped on “baking day”, discovering £102,000 worth of cocaine powder in a mixing bowl and £58,000 of crack cocaine defrosting in a baking tray. Other cocaine, worth more than £40,000 was seized.

A 25-tonne hydraulic press, discovered in a bedroom, made it into bars to sell on.

Electronic scales, drums of bulking agent and women’s tights, used to store cocaine powder, were also found.

After the case, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Beldon, said: “Each of the individuals sentenced today were contributing to a negative and damaging effect upon the local community.

“Our pro-active operations led to the discovery of this class A drugs factory, in turn preventing thousands of pounds worth of cocaine from entering the streets of Bradford.

“Detectives were meticulous in gathering evidence to prove the part played by each, in what was an organised criminal enterprise.”

Officer on the case, Detective Inspector Jaz Khan, said: “This outcome underlines our dedication to tackling the priorities of local residents and the extent we will go to ensure those involved in drugs are quickly brought before the courts.”