A DRUGS gang which supplied dealers peddling cocaine at Norwich's clubs and pubs has today been jailed for a total of 42-and-a-half years.The syndicate of seven men and one woman operated at the very top end of the market, processing and supplying £450,000 worth of the drug over a 13 month period.

A DRUGS gang which supplied dealers peddling cocaine at Norwich's clubs and pubs has today been jailed for a total of 42-and-a-half years.

The syndicate of seven men and one woman operated at the very top end of the market, processing and supplying £450,000 worth of the drug over a 13 month period.

The gang was arrested after a year-long undercover police operation by Norfolk Constabulary's Drugs and Serious Crime Squad, during which a drugs business on an industrial scale was revealed.

When the dealers were arrested, searches of their homes uncovered large quantities of cash, £31,000 worth of cocaine and an industrial cocaine press.

During the course of their conspiracy, between October 2005 and November 2006, it's calculated that the group was involved in the cutting, re-pressing and supply of between six and nine kilograms of cocaine with a street value of up to £450,000.

Sentenced today at Norwich Crown Court after being convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs (cocaine) at earlier hearings were:

Martin Peter Edwards, 46, formerly of Hassett Close, Norwich who was given ten years

David Martin, 43, formerly of Abinger Way, Eaton who was given seven-and-a-half years

Giles Ludlow, 43, of Loddon Road, Yelverton who was given four years

Ben Clarke, 27, formerly of Launceston Terrace, Norwich who was given three years

Matthew Church, 28, formerly of Rye Avenue, Norwich who was given three-and-a-half years

Michael Bream, 45, formerly Church Lane, Barford who was given nine years

Darin Langdon, 41, formerly of Pelham Road, Norwich who was given five-and-a-half years

Samantha Jane COCKADAY, 37, of Hassett Close, Norwich, will be sentenced at a later date.

Judge Paul Downes said they were at the “top of the tree” in the Norwich drugs market.

All pleaded guilty at previous hearings with the exception of Bream who was found guilty following a trial.

The eight were arrested in a series of raids in November 2006.

During searches of the properties involved, officers recovered around £20,000 in cash - including a bundle of £8,000 found stuffed up a chimney in Green's home.

Quantities of drugs, including ecstasy, amphetamine, cocaine and cannabis, were found at all homes, including a large stash of cocaine found in a washing machine at the home of Edwards.

As well as being “business” partners, the members of the syndicate regularly socialised at pubs in Norwich.

Det Con Steve Hamilton of Norfolk police said: “This type of crime has a detrimental impact on the community and touches all sections of society. While the criminals are making a lot of money, the users are often forced into various types of acquisitive crime to fund their addiction.

“This gang is a prime example of those criminals working in the higher levels of drug dealing activity. They had a close and well-established link to national supply lines and a detailed working knowledge of the process associated with large scale drug supply.”