A MAN from Pudsey and four others have been jailed for a total of more than 60 years for their roles in a major drugs operation.

The group was followed and investigated for six months by West Yorkshire Police’s Major Crime team, culminating in the quintet being charged in March 2017.

They operated across West Yorkshire and were jailed at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.

Lee Brook, 33, of Littlemoor Crescent, Pudsey, was jailed for nine years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Andrew Turner, 39, of Wynford Terrace, Weetwood, was jailed for 20 years, Lee Mabbott, 37, of Queenswood Drive, Headingley, was jailed for 18 years, Michael Lumb, 38, of Cranmer Close, Moortown, was jailed for 13 years, and Leslie Yeats, 43, of Thornhill Place, Wortley, was jailed for 18 months,.

They were all jailed for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to transfer criminal property.

On September 30, 2016, Brook’s Vauxhall Astra was stopped by police and four kilograms of high-purity cocaine was found, with a street value of £320,000.

His home address was searched and a further kilogram of cocaine, worth £80,000 on the streets, more rendered cocaine, a large quantity of cutting agent and a press used to compress drugs into boxes were also seized.

On October 12, 2016, Mabbott was stopped walking along Harrogate Road in Leeds and was caught carrying £109,470 in cash in a plastic Bag For Life.

Analytical work by officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit identified Turner as the head of the operation, and forensic work identified his fingerprints on a bag of cash which was later seized by police.

Detective Chief Inspector Warren Stevenson of West Yorkshire Police’s Protective Services (Crime) Division, said: “These individuals supplied large amounts of illegal drugs.

“Illegal drugs cause misery in our communities and these people chose to involve themselves in this vile trade which causes so much pain and suffering.

“They now have time inside to consider the consequences of their actions.

“Today’s sentencing of these individuals is the culmination of a thorough and painstaking investigation by the team.

“This case highlights that if we have information about illegal activity taking place in the communities we serve then we will take action.”

DCI Stevenson urged anyone who has information that might help bring criminals to justice to call police on 101, use the live chat facility on the West Yorkshire Police website, or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.