Two men who arranged a drug deal for undercover officers have been found guilty of running a major drugs ring in Kent.

Joseph King, his brother Samuel King and Craig Provan stood trial on a string of drug supply offences. Joseph King and Samuel King were also charged with a number of firearm offences.

The court case even involved jurors being given a lesson in Rokker, derived from Romany language, which was spoken by the gang.

Undercover police officers infiltrated the gang, and even negotiated a £20,000 drugs deal one of the gang members.

Shortly afterwards arrests were made at the home of Joseph King - a site in Hoath Woods, Lavender Road, West Malling.

The trio, together with a fourth man, Matthew Newin, controlled street dealing in a number of towns across the county and had a particular hold in the Canterbury and Sittingbourne areas, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

By the end of a lengthy covert operation, Joseph King and his co-defendants had unwittingly sold more than £8,000 of heroin, cocaine and ecstasy to the officers.

More than 12 transactions which took place between June and September last year were evidenced as part of the seven-week trial. The haul seized by officers can be seen in the pictures.

When Newin went to source the £20,000 deal, he was unknowingly followed into Hoath Woods by officers with a search warrant. A number of arrests were made, including Joe King, Newin and Provan, and drugs, loaded firearms and shotgun cartridges were seized.

Further evidence led to a second warrant being executed at the same address just three days later on 7 October when £36,405 cash, highly contaminated with traces of heroin and cannabis, was found hidden in the loft area of a stable.

Detective Inspector Eddie Fox, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: "This was a really challenging investigation which involved the use of undercover police officers to infiltrate and shut down what was a highly organised group. The key members had a hold in many towns across the county, supplying illegal and dangerous drugs from which they profited highly.

"The most difficult part of our work to bring them to justice was linking Joe King, who was the head of this group, as he did not get involved in the day-to-day supplying of the drugs.

"I am delighted with today’s convictions. Justice has been done and the work of officers engaged in this investigation recognised."

CPS Crown Advocate Anthony Hill said: "It was the prosecution’s case that Joseph King was the ringleader of this network and our evidence was based on a number of events, complex telephone and forensic evidence. We worked closely with police advising on the sort of evidence we needed to build a strong case to present to a jury.

"This prosecution hasn’t just dealt with the network’s foot soldiers it has dismantled the controlling tier of the organisation removing their ability to cause further harm to the community."

Joseph King, 48,of Lavender Road, West Malling: found guilty of supplying Class A drugs, and possession of criminal property.

Samuel King, 47, of Elm Grove, Sittingbourne: admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, not guilty of supplying other drugs or possessing firearms with intent to endanger life.

Craig Provan, 41, of The Paddock, Highsted Valley, Rodmersham: found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and admitted encouraging the supply of cannabis.

Matthew Newin, 26, of Swanstree Avenue, Sittingboune: admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and encouraging the supply of cannabis.