Kirklees pair jailed for 15 years after discovery of imported cocaine at Wakefield drug 'safe house'

Police found a drug 'safe house' worth more than half a million pounds when they arrested a man from Batley and a man from Heckmondwike.
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Mohammed Mangera and Suleman Azad were jailed for a total of 15 years over the discovery of imported cocaine and heroin at The Pinnacle apartment complex in Wakefield.

Leeds Crown Court heard Mangera leased the flat on Ings Road, near to Wakefield city centre, in May last year.

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Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, said Mangera claimed he worked in sales for a company which does not exist and provided a fake reference from his 'employer' to secure the lease.

Mohammed Mangera from BatleyMohammed Mangera from Batley
Mohammed Mangera from Batley

The court heard Mangera was actually unemployed at the time and was claiming universal credit.

Mr Sharp said: "The purpose of the lease was to provide a safe house for drugs."

Mangera did not live and the property and it was not furnished.

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An oven and a fridge was kept inside the flat but it was used to store drugs.

Mangera and Azad were arrested by armed police on April 18 this year shortly after they left the flat in a BMW.

Mangera was found in possession of two encrypted mobile phones but refused to give the pin codes for the devices to officers.

A baseball bat was also recovered from the vehicle.

The flat was searched and a large quantity of high purity cocaine was recovered.

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The cocaine was packaged in in 1kg blocks which had bar-codes, indicating that the class A drug had been imported.

Drug dealer bags and a banknote counting machine was also found inside the flat.

Just over 4 kgs of cocaine was recovered from the property but packing for a further 6 kgs was also found.

Mr Sharp said heroin weighing 383 grams was also seized.

The total street value of drugs involved in the illegal enterprise was over £500,000.

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Mangera's home in Batley where he lived with his family was also searched and £2,410 in cash was seized.

The banknotes were contaminated with cocaine.

Officers also found designer clothing including three pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes and other luxury items including a Montblanc watch and a Louis Vuitton bag.

Mangera.and Azad, both aged 22, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to possess heroin.

Charles Blatchford, for Mangera, said his client has no previous convictions.

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He said: "He has fallen off the rails and has done it in a big way "

Mr Blatchford said Mangera's family had written to the court "expressing shock and shame" for what the defendant had done.

The chairman of his local cricket club also wrote a letter of reference on Mangera's behalf.

The barrister said: "While in prison he has witnessed people taking drugs and seen the impact it has on them and their health.

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"He is now shocked to have learned what he was part of by committing this offence."

Nick Worsley, for Azad, said his client played a lesser role in the conspiracy and there was no evidence of him living a luxury lifestyle as a result of the offending.

Mr Worsley said: "He became involved in this conduct and will clearly have to pay the penalty for it.

"He became involved in this through naivety."

Mangera was jailed for eight years and four months.

Azad, of New North Road, Heckmondwike, was jailed for six years and eight months