POLICE uncovered a rare “crystal meth” factory in Kirklees seizing £1.3m of the highly addictive drug which could have flooded the streets both here and nationwide.
They came across the find when they raided an industrial unit in Kirklees following a tip-off.
It is thought to be the largest lab for a type of Class A Drug ever seen in West Yorkshire and would have manufactured millions of pounds worth of methylamphetamine.
A chemical supply company raised the alarm after becoming suspicious about orders placed by car wash owner Jabbar Hyder in the summer of 2011, including iodine and red phosphorus.
He denied anything suspicious was happening at Hotspot Car Wash in Bradford Road, Dewsbury but inquiries took them to a unit he was using in Hoyleshead Mills, Earlsheaton.
Rob Mairs, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday that the unit had been rented by Hyder’s friend Christopher Allday as a garage but when the premises were raided two rooms had been set up for commercial production of methylamphetamine.
Officers found 27.33 kilogrammes of the drug in a dilute form which was of very low purity.
Methylamphetamine is a synthetic drug which is most commonly manufactured using various chemicals producing toxic fumes in the process and the risk of explosion.
Mr Mairs said the drug was rarely found in the UK and, according to the Metropolitan police, sells at £50 a gram which would produce an estimated street value of £1.3m.
He said the unit had only been rented for some five weeks but it was “clearly an attempt to manufacture on an industrial scale.”
Hyder, 31 of Savile Street, Dewsbury who admitted conspiracy to produce methylamphetamine, possessing cannabis and another drug, was jailed for nine years six months to run consecutively to a four year sentence he is already serving for conspiracy to supply Class B and C drugs.
The court heard he was on bail awaiting sentence in 2011 for the earlier drug offences when he became involved in the unit offence.
Jailing him Judge Guy Kearl QC said: “This was on any view production on a very substantial scale using industrial premises.”
He said Hyder was at the top of the chain. “You used your business as a cover.”
Allday, 29 of Rockhall Close, Birstall, was jailed for seven years four months after admitting conspiracy to produce the drug. Shufqat Khan representing him said he owed Hyder money and had fallen “under his shadow.”
Thomas Cadden, 21 of Ellis Court, Textile Street, Dewsbury, who admitted being concerned in the production of the drug and possession of cannabis was jailed for two and a half years.
The court heard he worked for Hyder at the car wash and accepted delivery of chemicals on three occasions for his boss.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Jeffrey of Kirklees Police, said: “The facility set up by Hyder was, we believe, the first of its kind in the Yorkshire and Humber region and had the capacity to flood the streets of our region and other parts of the country with millions of pounds worth of methylamphetamine.
“They were detected thanks to a detailed police investigation with partners and the vigilance of the companies they contacted using their own details to try and order chemicals, allowing us to fortunately put a stop to this scheme before it was able to do really get going.
“I welcome the strong convictions given to these individuals.
“I also hope this case will serve as a warning that West Yorkshire Police are vigilant to crimes of this type and will investigate any form of intelligence about drugs production in our communities.”
