Police have dismantled a major criminal network that funded the supply of heroin into one of Kent's biggest prisons.

Six people, including two former prisoners at Elmley Prison on the Isle of Sheppey, have been sentenced for money laundering and drugs related offences. Three of those sentenced come from Thanet.

In October 2006, Elmley Prison alerted Kent Police's Prison Intelligence Unit to a serving prisoner's partner, who was allowing her bank account to be credited to fund the supply of heroin.

The serving prisoner, Mark Lee, 26, of Mortlake Road, Ilford, was sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment by a judge at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday.

His partner, Nadia Baptiste, 23, of Bletchley Court, Wenlock Street, Islington, was given a jail term of two years and eight months.

Kent Police's Serious Economic Crime Unit found that between August 2006 and May 2007, more than £14,000 was paid into Baptiste's bank account from locations across the South East.

Lee controlled the cash in Baptiste's account and monitored it regularly, police said.

Barbara Ouddah, 55, of Shore Close, Ethelbert Road, Birchington, was a regular payee who bought up to £9,000 of heroin for her foster son, Wesley Adyinka, 27, of Dalby Square, Cliftonville.

Ouddah was given a nine month suspended sentence and 100 hours of community service.

Adyinka, who was a prisoner at Elmley, was sentenced to a six month drug treatment and testing order for the possession of heroin.

Stephen MacDonagh, 32, of Bath Road, Margate, had also asked his brother Brian MacDonagh, 36, of Elmley Prison, for money to buy heroin.

Both were given 10 months imprisonment to be added to sentences they are already serving.

Det Sgt Nicholas Fullerton from Kent Police said: "This is an extremely satisfying end to a long and complex investigation that was made even more complicated by the web of personal relationships between the various defendants.

"However, I'm proud that more than two years of hard work, dedication and expertise has resulted in the end of a major criminal network."

All defendants except Adyinka will now be subject to confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds Of Crime Act.