Pontefract-based drug-dealing gang jailed for a total of more than 28 years
More than 33 kilos of drugs were seized
Five members of a Pontefract-based drug dealing gang have been jailed for a total of more than 28 years.
Leeds Crown Court heard Kyle Bates was the head of the organised crime group and was involved in buying and selling drugs on a commercial scale.
He sold kilogrammes of cannabis nationally to areas including Liverpool, Scotland and Cheshire.
He had various houses around Pontefract to store drugs and had drivers and runners working for him.
The court heard police seized a total of 1.3 kilos of cocaine, 9.5 kilos of ketamine and more than 23 kilos of cannabis.
Prosecutor, Rhianydd Clement said police executed a warrant at a Kyle Bates' address on Western Avenue, Pontefract, on April 9 2025 and seized cannabis worth over £1,900 a significant quantity of cash and a mobile phone.
Police also seized a small amount of cocaine, several high value Rolex watches and a Rambo style knife.
Ms Clement said a hand written dealer list showed names linked to debts of £14,000, £14,290 and £10,000.
On then same day, police raided Alan Tonks' address on Westbourne Road, Pontefract, and seized cocaine and amphetamine along with a cutting agent. They also found dealers' lists.
The total value of drugs from both addresses was just short of £4,000.
The court heard phones seized from both men contained drug dealing messages which linked them.
On December 8 2025 police searched an address on Adwick Terrace, Pontefract, and arrested Shane Gray.
They seized cocaine and cannabis worth up to a total of £22,800.
They also seized crack cocaine worth up to £750 and a cutting agent, snap bags, a mobile phone, a knuckle duster and a survival knife.
On March 9 2026 police stopped an Audi that Tonks was driving close to Fitness Base gym on Northgate and seized an iphone and a bunch of key.
The court heard police arrested Kyle Bates at Fitness Base gym and seized an iPhone.
Officers went to an address on Stone Mews linked to Kyle Bates and found several Rolex watches.
Ms Clement said police seized cannabis worth more than £3,500 from Kyle Bates' partners address on Western Avenue and a £3,400 receipt for a diamond ring paid for in cash.
At Tonks' address on Westbourne Road police found bags of cannabis and a samurai sword, several phones and more than £4,000 cash.
Police went to Reece Britnell's address on Poplar Green and found cannabis worth more than £400 and hydroponic equipment.
At another address on Poplar Green police found 792 grammes of cocaine, 1.7 kilos of cannabis 177 grammes of ketamine, 88 vape pens and £5,700 in cash.
Police went to West End Farm in Darrington and used the keys previously seized from Tonks on March 9 to open a shipping container, which had an intense smell of cannabis and a hydroponic tent.
In another shipping container they found 642 grammes of cocaine, 10 kilos of cannabis and 9.4 kilos of ketamine worth a total of up to £158,600.
They also found a passport in Shane Gray's name and a large amount of Kellogg's Cornflakes.
Shane Gray was arrested on March 16 and his phone seized.
Ms Clement said between January 28 and 29 129 boxes of mixer drinks were stolen from a lorry in Featherstone.
On March 16 police went to a large compound on the site of the Prince of Wales WMC on Ferrybridge Road where Shane Gray had keys to several vehicles. A total of 174 boxes of stolen drinks were found at the site.
On February 20 a lorry driver parked up for the night on Green Lane in Featherstone and was woken by police the next morning.
Officers told him 45 to 70 boxes of cornflakes had been stolen from the lorry.
Suspects could be seen going to and from the lorry on CCTV over a three hour period.
All five defendants are of no fixed abode.
Kyle Bates, 34, admitted possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply.
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC jailed Kyle Bates for nine-years-and-three-months.Judge Stubbs said: "The text evidence suggests he has been dealing with users who owe large amounts of money, tens of thousands.
"He was head of the organisation. He had control of stash houses. He had drivers working for him, several runners and other people."
Kyle's cousin Mark Bates, 38, admitted possessing cocaine, cannabis and ketamine with intent to supply.
Judge Stubbs said he had a "significant role" in he operation and jailed him for six-years-and-nine-months.
Alan Tonks, 47, admitted possessing cocaine and amphetamine with intent to supply and supplying cannabis.
Judge Stubbs said Tonks also played a "significant role" and had control of the keys to the two units at Darrington.
Reece Britnell, 24, admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
The court heard he was a neighbour of Mark Bates.
Judge Stubbs handed Britnell a six-month-jail sentence, which the court heard he has already served.
Shane Gray, 37, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply and two charges of supplying cocaine and two charges of supplying cannabis.
Gray, Kyle Bates' step brother, admitted producing crack cocaine and supplying ketamine.
He also pleaded guilty to two charges of handling stolen goods. in connection with the stolen drinks and cornflakes.
Judge Stubbs jailed Gray for five years.
The court heard Gray spent six years in the army and was in The Rifles regiment.
The court heard he later became involved in dealing drugs after using and falling into debt.