A gang supplying drugs — including cocaine, MDMA and cannabis — to north and west Kent have been jailed.

Detectives say they have dismantled the “Blue Eyes” organised crime group, which was established by Jamie Bennett in 2019, who employed several dealers to supply drugs across the county by giving them stolen cars with false number plates to use for deliveries.

Croydon Crown Court heard in 2020 investigators identified the phone numbers used by Bennett’s dealers and, over the following two years, several were tracked down and arrested in possession of drugs whilst travelling in either Kent or south London.

Bennett was detained on three occasions, say police, while a search of the address he shared with his partner, Sinead Taylor, led to the seizure of almost 5,000 MDMA tablets, around 2,000 class C tablets, £5,600 in cash, cocaine and ketamine.

Officers also seized two stolen cars.

With help from the Metropolitan Police, detectives then rounded up others - many of whom were in stolen cars on false number plates whilst carrying drug supplies.

Those detained included Jeffrey Reeves and Levi Taylor in Orpington; Joe Raven on two occasions while in Gravesend and Dartford; Shakai Wilson in Bromley and Jamie Turner in Wainscott.

Examination of text messages from seized phones also identified that Bennett’s partner Sinead Taylor and Maisey Barrett from Chatham were also involved and both women were arrested.

All eight were charged with several charges of conspiracy to supply drugs, while Bennett was also charged with two counts of handling stolen property.

Barrett, Levi Taylor and Wilson pleaded not guilty but were convicted following a trial at Croydon Crown Court.

Sinead Taylor pleaded guilty to being involved in a money laundering arrangement and participating in the activities of an organised crime group. Her other charges were ordered to remain on file.

The others pleaded guilty.

Across two days of sentencing at the court last month Bennett, 36, of Mosyer Drive, Orpington, was jailed for eight years and three months.

Turner, 27, of Beddington Road, Orpington, and Levi Taylor, 29, of The Street, Adisham, Canterbury, both received three years and eight months’ imprisonment with Turner’s prison term including time for breach of a suspended sentence.

Wilson, 21, of Gillmans Road, Orpington, received three years and six months’ imprisonment. Raven, 23, of Estuary Road, Sheerness, was sent to prison for two years and eight months; while Barrett, 28, of Bryant Street, Chatham, was jailed for five years - with her imprisonment including a sentence for an unconnected charge of wounding with intent.

Reeves, 43, of Ryarsh Crescent, Orpington, and Sinead Taylor, 31, of no fixed address, were given suspended sentences.

Detective Constable John Carless said: “This organised crime gang, headed by Bennett, had a network of people involved in the supply of considerable amounts of drugs to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“The network operated covertly, often using stolen cars on false number plates, and those involved believed their crimes would go undetected.

“However, this misplaced arrogance was their downfall as, once we had identified a small part of the drug supply organisation, we followed all the available leads to identify the key players.

“At that point, it was only a matter of time before we tracked them all down and ultimately brought them to justice.”