Drug dealer ordered to pay £58,000 over high-purity cocaine and cash found after he crashed his BMW into a wall in Leeds

Shabaz Choudhry is serving a jail sentence of eight years and three months after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine, crack cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply, dangerous driving and possession of criminal property.

The offences relate to an incident on May 11 last when West Yorkshire Police officers found high-purity cocaine and more than £50,000 in cash after he crashed his car into a wall.

Choudhry was taken to hospital with serious injuries after his BMW "demolished" 30 meters of stone wall during the incident in Yeadon.

The 43-year-old defendant was followed by officers when he overtook them at speed at 8.30pm.

He drove at 70mph on country lanes and went through red lights before losing control of the vehicle and crashing into a stone wall.

Choudhry had been using his mobile phone at the time of the crash.

The car was searched and a large quantity of cocaine was recovered from the vehicle along with £5,000 in cash.

The cocaine was of a high purity which indicated that Choudhry had close links to the source of supply.

More cocaine, crack cocaine and cannabis was found at his home as well as £53,000 in cash.

Choudhry, of Byron Halls, Byron Street, Bradford, appeared before Leeds Crown Court yesterday (January 2) for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing.

The court heard Choudhry's benefit figure from the offending was £89,325 and he has assets of £58,883 available for confiscation.

Recorder Catherine Silverton ordered that Choudhry pay the lower sum within 28 days or he could face a further nine months in prison.

Choudhry has served a previous jail term of eight years, imposed in 2003, for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.

He was also given a ten-year sentence in 2012 for the same offences and has a conviction for possession of a firearm.

At his sentencing hearing last year, prosecutor Jonathan Sharp said: "This is entrenched criminal behaviour over 20 years."

The sentencing judge, Recorder Darren Preston said: "Your situation is seriously aggravated by your previous convictions.

"You have been dealing at a significant level over a couple of decades now."