POLICE seized a £47,000 stash of drugs when they raided a detached garage guarded by a big dog, Bradford Crown Court heard.

The building on Fairbank Road, which runs between Whetley Lane and Toller Lane, in Girlington, Bradford, contained more than £19,000 of cocaine, £11,550 of heroin and cannabis valued at £16,545.

Bilal Khan, 41, of Swinnow Lane, Swinnow, Leeds, was jailed for five and a half years after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply the Class A and Class B drugs.

Prosecutor Anthony Moore said the police went to the garage on May 25, 2019, to find the front door blocked off with a heap of rubble.

Access had to be gained through a side door in a metal-fenced yard where the “large and aggressive” dog was roaming, the court heard last week.

There were also CCTV cameras at the scene although it was not clear if they were working.

Khan was unhappy when the police said they were about to search the building, telling them there was nothing in there except a bit of cannabis in a box.

But the officers were suspicious of his demeanour and pressed ahead with the search.

They discovered a cache of drugs that included six packages of cocaine, five packages of heroin and ten packages of cannabis weighing almost two kilos.

Khan had digital scales in his pocket with traces of drugs on them, Mr Moore said.

Other scales were also found in the garage.

The total estimated street value of the drugs seized was £47,446.

There were dealer bags in a cupboard and a knife and razor blade were found with traces of drugs on them.

The court heard that Khan had a previous conviction for supplying Class A drugs, dating back to when he was a youth.

Samreen Akhtar, his barrister, asked for an adjournment for a probation report but the application was refused.

She said in mitigation that Khan went into a downward spiral after two tragic family bereavements.

He was working at a vehicle showroom as a car valeter but he became depressed and anxious following the loss of his mother.

Khan, the father of three children, was very close to her and they had done a lot of charity work together, Miss Akhtar said.

He began taking drugs as a coping mechanism and was addicted to them at the time of his arrest, the court heard.

The judge, Recorder Anthony Kelbrick, said it was a large haul of drugs and only a lengthy custodial sentence was appropriate.