Mohammed Khalin Hussain, 33, and Ibras Khan, 30, both from Bradford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supplying controlled drugs (cocaine).

Today, Friday 15th March, at Liverpool Crown Court, Hussain was sentenced to seven years and eight months and Khan was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Their sentences following those of 21 people who were jailed in 2017 for a total of 135 years following a 16-month Merseyside Police operation targeting the supply of controlled drugs in Anfield, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Devon and Cornwall. Today’s sentences bring the total to 23 people sentenced to a total of 152 years and five months.

During the course of the operation over 100 people were arrested and 12kg of high quality Class A drugs were recovered together with a quantity of firearms and ammunition, cash and stolen vehicles.

Detective Inspector Allison Woods said: "Our operation was originally put in place after members of the public raised concerns about drug dealing in their community.

“Today’s sentence brings the total to 23 people who received custodial sentences totalling 152 years and five months, for their part in the drugs conspiracy, which stretched across the UK.

“The sentencing of Hussain and Khan today shows that Merseyside Police is relentless in continuing to identify and arrest offenders involved in serious and organised crime.

"Organised crime groups like this, who deal in the wholesale supply and distribution of controlled drugs, don’t care about the impact that supply of drugs has in their neighbourhoods.

"But I would like to reassure members of our communities that Merseyside Police is committed to tackling the supply of drugs and we will continue to proactively tackle criminal gangs who think nothing of flooding the streets with dangerous drugs in order to profit from other people's misery.

"We will continue to take action but we cannot do this without the support of the public. We rely on our communities to tell us when there are criminal issues in their area so that we can take positive action and protect our communities. Any information supplied to us in relation to serious and organised crime will be acted upon."

Anyone with information about those involved in serious and organised crime, including the supply of controlled drugs and use of firearms, can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.