Four men have been jailed for their roles in a £14million drugs operation.

The gang imported and sold 157 kilograms of Class drugs and has been jailed for almost 60 years.

The men were jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday after a joint operation between Northamptonshire Police and the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.

Harry Brydges, 30, of Bessemer Close, Basildon, was sentenced to 18 years in prison or conspiracy to import and conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs.

Echo: Jailed - Harry Brydges Jailed - Harry Brydges

Harry Simmons, 31, of Parkside, Basildon, was sentenced to 16 years in jail for conspiracy to import a Class A controlled drugs.

Echo: Sentenced - Harry SimmonsSentenced - Harry Simmons

John Taylor, 29, of Lobelia Mews, Laindon, was handed a 14 years prison sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs.

Echo: Court - John TaylorCourt - John Taylor

Detective Inspector Dave Williams of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “This case clearly highlights the positive outcomes that can be achieved through joint working.

“Working in partnership with our policing colleagues in Northamptonshire we have dismantled a network that used UK motorways to distribute drugs around the country.

“Despite the pandemic, there was a clear motivation to flood the UK with significant amounts of harmful Class A drugs that fuel violence, increase the chances of vulnerable youngsters being exploited into county lines, and ultimately affects the quality of life for our communities.

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“We remain committed to tackling the importation and sale of illegal drugs and the sentences handed down clearly demonstrate the seriousness of these crimes.”

Milos Stevanovic, 27, of no fixed address was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months imprisonment' for conspiracy to import a Class A controlled drugs.

On 23 April 2021 officers from Northamptonshire stopped an Audi Q7 on the M1 motorway travelling toward London. A search of the vehicle recovered 85 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride. John Taylor was arrested for possession with intent to supply Class A controlled drugs.

On 12 May 2021, specialist Met officers witnessed an associate of John Taylor, a man called Harry Brydges; meet with another associate of Taylor, Harry Simmons. Brydges passed Simmons £9,000 in cash which Simmons took to Gravesend where he met lorry driver Milos Stevanovic, a Bosnian national.

Simmons and Stevanovic were arrested as they unloaded 37 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and 35 kilograms of MDMA crystals, which has just entered the UK in the lorry driven by Stevanovic.

An arrest enquiry was conducted at Brydges' address in Basildon, during which he jumped from a first floor window in a bid to escape but was arrested.