Six drug dealers have been jailed for a combined total of 40 years after £440,000 worth of drugs were seized during a major police investigation.

More than 3.5kg of cocaine and heroin was discovered during the sting, along with several viable firearms and ammunition.

Lacey Lynch was the first arrest in the investigation after she was stopped in her car by officers in Maidstone in September 2023.

Cannabis, around 30g of cocaine, and £3,000 in cash were seized during a search of the vehicle and her home address.

Joe Stokes – Lynch's partner – was also detained in November, with officers recovering almost 100g of cocaine from the car he was driving near the county town.

Further inquiries connected Stokes and Lynch to a phone line that had been supplying cocaine and cannabis in the Dartford area.

Officers later found Stokes had sold the drugs line to Luke Douglas, who was arrested in Greenhithe in July last year.

Joshua Exall was then identified as having a key role in the criminal network and within the same month police searched his home where the mobile phones used to supply drugs were seized. He was then arrested.

Large quantities of class A and B drugs were also seized, along with three viable handguns, ammunition and cash.

Investigators identified and arrested four further people involved in the supply network: Adam Turrell, Ella Francis, Bobby Nash and Charlie Vine.

A warrant was issued for Ben King’s arrest after DNA evidence connected him with the handguns found at the property.

Officers seized three blocks of cocaine, half a block of heroin, cash and two taser devices. King was subsequently tracked down and arrested.

The street value of the drugs seized throughout the investigation was estimated to be around £440,000 and all those arrested were charged by detectives.

Douglas, Stokes, Lynch, Turrell and Exall later pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class-A drugs.

Exall was also convicted of additional drug offences along with illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and criminal property (namely the seized cash), following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

At the same trial, King was convicted of transferring firearms and possession with intent to supply class A drugs. Nash was found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Francis and Vine pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class-A drugs.

Last Friday (May 23), Exall, 28, of Knockhall Road, Greenhithe and King, 60, of Rollesby Way, Thamesmead, London, were jailed for 11 years, and 10 years and six months, respectively.

Douglas, 36, from Minster-on-Sea was sentenced to six years and 10 months’ imprisonment and Stokes, 33, of Carters Hill Lane, Meopham was jailed for six years and four months.

Francis, 33, of no fixed address, received two years and 10 months in prison and Nash, 34, from Plumstead in London was given two years and six months imprisonment.

Suspended sentences were imposed on Lynch, 23, of Love Lane, Headcorn; Turrell, 31, of Tennyson Road, Dartford and Vine, 22, of Steadman Close, Higham.

DC Steven Brown said: “This was a long and complex investigation which has resulted in dangerous weapons and a significant quantity of illegal drugs being taken off the streets of Kent – and the dealers, whose illicit activity brings misery to communities and ruins lives, being caught and jailed.

“The tenacity of the officers involved in this case has been rewarded with the knowledge that these offenders will be spending a long time behind bars, where they belong.”