by Keith Hunt

Four men have been jailed for their part in a massive drugs ring smashed in a large-scale police operation.

Ncholas Yates, organiser of the Kent end of the operation transporting amphetamine to the North East of England, was sentenced to nine years.

The 37-year-old, of Salisbury Road, Aylesford, was convicted in August this year of conspiring to supply 22 kilos of amphetamine sulphate worth £1 million.

He admitted two charges of money laundering, totalling £127,780, and mortgage fraud involving £807,500.

Richard Wheeler, 43, of Calcroft Avenue, Ingress Park, Greenhithe, was jailed for nine years four months.

He admitted money laundering, possessing £1 million worth of cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamine with intent to supply, conspiracy to supply 22 kilos of amphetamine worth £1 million and smuggling 2.3 tonnes of cannabis resin worth £2.5 million.

Neil Hoban, 40, of Stockton, Teesside, was sentenced to five years seven months after admitting conspiracy to supply amphetamine.

Related article: police speak out on closing the net on the crime cartel

Martin Lewis, 28, of Billingham, Teesside, was jailed for 20 months after admitting the same charge. He was expected to be freed having served the sentence on remand.

The terms bring to an end a "multi-agency investigation" led by Kent Police, which began in November 2007, into drug smuggling from Spain and other European countries.

Police said a complex web of family members and criminal associates in both Kent and Teesside underpinned the crimes.

A total of 31 men and women have been charged, almost half of them from Kent, and 16 criminals have been jailed for a total of 70 years.

In the operation, police seized £262,000.00 in cash, six kilos of almost pure cocaine worth £500,000, three tonnes of cannabis worth £2.5 million, 22 kilos of amphetamine sulphate worth £1 million, 4130 ecstasy tablets worth £20,000, one kilo of crystal ecstasy worth £25,000 and two handguns, one linked to an attempted murder.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Yates orchestrated the supply of amphetamine from Kent to Cleveland and Hoban controlled collection for onward distribution.

Judge Charles Macdonald QC found Wheeler benefited in the sum of more than £2.3 million from crime. A confiscation order was made in the available sum of £14,900.