TWO traffickers have been jailed for their part in a multi-million pound drug ring smashed by a dedicated regional organised crime unit.

Mario Mazzotta, 31, of Swindon, is now serving a five-year sentence for possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine and possession of a firearm, while Kimberley Lamb, 28, of Swindon, was charged with possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine and was handed a five-year prison term.

They were among 15 people who have been sentenced to a total of more than 50 years in prison after a year-long investigation into the supply of Class A drugs by the South West’s organised crime unit Zephyr.

Codenamed Operation Wildfire, it has seen more than ten kilos of cocaine and more than £100,000 in cash seized, as well as 50 kilos of cutting agents Benzocaine and Creatine, estimated to have a total street value in the region of £2.5m.

In sentencing the offenders at Bristol Crown Court, Judge Jamie Tabor said: “Cocaine is a dangerous Class A drug which can cause addiction, as we have seen in this case. The distribution of cocaine has created an international criminal network.

“Every time a person decides to snort cocaine in the UK they are adding to the trade in some way and causing harm here and in other countries.

“But all those in the dock today are grown men, worldly wise and know what the consequences of their actions are. If you run up a drug debt you should be aware of what the consequences are likely to be.”

It comes after last month a separate drugs gang, including nine people from Swindon, were jailed for their part in a major cocaine conspiracy, following an 18-month investigation by the Wiltshire Police Dedicated Crime Team.

Zephyr is made up of specialist officers from five police forces as well as officers from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, Serious Organised Crime Agency, United Kingdom Borders Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Operation Wildfire began in March last year and focused on a Gloucester-based organised crime group responsible for the wholesale distribution of cocaine into the region.

Eleven men were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday for their involvement. Craig King, 36, of Tuffley Avenue, Gloucester, was sentenced to ten years and Neil Phillips, 32, of Redstart Way, Gloucester, was sentenced to seven years and four months.

Stuart Bace, 35, of Kitchener Avenue, Gloucester was sentenced to four years eight months, Jamie Coltman, 37, of Shurdington, was sentenced to five years six months and Simon Yates, 48, of Bodiam Avenue, Gloucester, was sentenced to three years and four months.

Zephyr will also now look to strip these criminals of their assets and the money they made through crime utilising the powers available under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Detective Inspector Craig Holden from Zephyr, who led Operation Wildfire, said: “This investigation goes to show that our work does not stop at county borders. We will continue to target criminals who are living in, or causing fear or harm to, communities across the south west.

“These terms of imprisonment should go to show that Zephyr will continue to target drug dealers who believe their lavish lifestyles funded from crime will go unnoticed. We will look to cut off the snake’s head, so to speak, and target those further up the chain responsible for causing harm to our communities.”

Anyone with information about drug offences should call Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.