Police launch urgent search for suspect as £500,000 drug factory discovered in Leeds

Leon Dore, 36, from Leeds, was identified as a suspect after specialist detectives from West Yorkshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit executed a warrant under The Misuse of Drugs Act at farm premises in Scotland Lane, Horsforth, on May 5 this year.

A search of the site, which is believed to have been used for processing and packaging drugs, uncovered 10kg of cocaine and 20kg of ketamine with a total estimated street value of more than half a million pounds.

Despite extensive enquiries and the offer of a reward of up to £1,000 by the independent charity Crimestoppers, Dore is still yet to be arrested, police said.

An urgent search has now been launched.

Detective Inspector Mark Atkinson, of the Force’s Programme Precision team, said: “We remain absolutely determined to keep relentlessly pursuing Dore as a suspect in this very significant drugs investigation.

“He has strong links to Leeds, particularly the Chapeltown area, but also to Halifax, Huddersfield and Bradford, as well as Liverpool and Birmingham.

“We want to make it very clear that anyone who may be helping him to evade the police can face prosecution and imprisonment for the offence of assisting an offender.

“We would urge anyone who has seen him or who has any information that could assist in locating him to contact us immediately or to anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers.”

Detectives have released CCTV footage of Dore visiting the drugs ‘factory’ in Horsforth in the hope that it will assist with sightings of him.

Two men have already been charged with possession with intent to supply offences in relation to the investigation and their cases are progressing through the courts.

Anyone with any information that could assist in locating Dore is asked to contact officers via 101 quoting reference 13220242324 or online via www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101livechat

Information can be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Video footage released by police can be viewed at the top of this article.