Nine members of an organised criminal gang that fuelled “violence, misery and exploitation” have been jailed for a total of more than 45 years.

On January 16 last year, police stopped Andrew Hemphill and Shellbie Johnson who were travelling in a Vauxhall Astra in Old Church Road, Burham, near Blue Bell Hill.

Body-worn video shows the discovery of a bag containing two separate kilogram blocks of cocaine in the car.

Soon after, officers stopped a Jaguar nearby, which was being driven by Kastriot Dani.

Police located an electronically operated hide constructed between the rear seats and boot, which had another kilogram of cocaine in it as well as a bag with the word ‘deposit’ written on it, which contained £10,000 in cash.

All three were arrested and further police activity continued throughout the day to identify and detain other suspects.

This included a search warrant at two locations in Rochester Road, Burham, owned by Gary Greening.

Searches at these properties led to the recovery of a gun concealed in a drawstring bag, as well as bullets found inside a sock. Further drugs were also seized.

Seven of the suspects who entered guilty pleas were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court last Wednesday (July 2).

Robert Deards, 28, of no fixed address, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and was sentenced to eight years and six months.

Kastriot Dani, 43, of Rushden, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was jailed for four years and 10 months.

Ryan Gooderson, 23, of Bell Lane, Ditton, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and received 10 years and three months.

Malcom Glancey, 66, of Rycault Close, Maidstone, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and was sentenced to seven years and 10 months.

Jordan Thorossian, 32, of The Laxey, Tovil, Maidstone, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply. He received a suspended sentence of two years and was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.

Gary Greening, 69, of Rochester Road, Burham, pleaded guilty to allowing a premises to be used for the supply of cocaine. He was given a 20-month suspended sentence.

Phoebe Gamm, 21, of Chart Hill Road, Chart Sutton, Maidstone, admitted assisting an offender after she tried to flee the country with Gooderson. Her six-month sentence was also suspended.

A trial was held for a further three defendants.

Andrew Hemphill, 26, of Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and to possessing a firearm and ammunition. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Shellbie Johnson, 26, of Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and jailed for four years and three months.

A jury found Julian Gamm, 49, of West Wickham, not guilty of assisting an offender.

Detective Constable Steve Brown of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate said: “This was a supply chain led by Ryan Gooderson and Robert Deards, and which sought to distribute drugs on a wholesale scale.

“It extended throughout and beyond Kent and involved the movement of at least 6kgs of cocaine.

“The discovery of a prohibited firearm was also indicative of the lengths this gang would go to in order to protect and enforce a trade that fuels violence, misery and exploitation.

“Deards’ offending was even more brazen as they were orchestrated from a prison cell while he was serving a 15-year sentence for unrelated offences.

“His latest punishment will be in addition to that previous sentence.

“The lengthy time Deards and his associates will spend in prison should send another message to those involved in the drugs trade that we are coming for you and you end up behind bars.”