A fourth man has been jailed for his role in a major organised crime ring operating in the Bradford area.

Father of three Yaser Nazir was today imprisoned for five years and three months at Bradford Crown Court after the police seized £1.214 million of cocaine and heroin when they busted the operation.

Earlier this month, three men were jailed for a total of 35 years for their part in the racket, including the ringleader Rashid Ashraf, 40, of Leeds Old Road, Heckmondwike, who was locked up for 18 years.

Nazir, 38, of Lindley Road, Little Horton, Bradford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Prosecutor Alasdair Campbell said he was involved with the gang on March 5 and 19 this year.

On the second occasion, Nazir was transporting kilo blocks of high purity cocaine to buyers for sale on the streets of West Yorkshire.

His blue Skoda Octavia was stopped by an armed response unit and a kilo block of cocaine worth £40,000 was seized from the vehicle.

Nazir, of previous good character, made no comment in his police interview.

His barrister, M A Qazi, said he was recruited by the gang following the arrest in February of Rizwan Shah, 27, of Fairbank Terrace, Girlington, Bradford, a courier and warehouseman for the organisation.

Mr Qazi said Nazir was “a clean skin” who would not arose the least suspicion because he had no criminal record.

He was “ideal fodder” for the gang and worked under the direction of those higher above him.

Nazir was “at a low ebb” at the time. He had recently been diagnosed with diabetes and he was having financial problems.

He had done voluntary work with young people and the homeless and contributed to the development of a local football club.

A sheaf of character references had been sent into the court, Mr Qazi said.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Richard Mansell QC, conceded that it was “a devastating fall from grace.”

Nazir had worked for the gang for a fortnight in March after Shah was arrested.

He had taken part in a possible “dry run” for the group on March 5 and was snared by the police surveillance operation while he was transporting the high purity cocaine on the 19th.

Judge Mansell said that Nazir was “a glorified courier and warehouseman” who did not play a leading role in the organisation.

Two other men, including the gang’s money launderer, are yet to be sentenced.