FIVE Hampshire drug dealers have been jailed for almost 40 years for a drug operation that spanned the south east of the county.

On Friday, the dealers were put behind bars after police found class A drugs with a street value of more than £150,000 and around £7,000 in cash during their investigation.

James Hallett, 29, of Gosport, Lee Sheehan, 48, of Cornwall, James Whistler, 26, of Gosport, Charlie Jeacock, 23, of Essex and Billy Fitzearle, 35, of Titchfield, were all imprisoned at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday.

Investigating officer DC Mark Brockman said: "“I welcome these sentences which send a clear message that drug dealing and the associated violence and harm to vulnerable people this causes, will not be tolerated.

“Through our Fortress campaign, we work with our partners to reduce drug-related harm by restricting supply with enforcement, and providing support to those people on the periphery of the drugs trade."

The gang was based in Gosport and had a house that they used in Cosham, dealing cocaine and heroin across south east Hampshire.

The court heard that Billy Fitzearle was seen driving Charlie Jeacock to various locations, where Charlie would conduct exchanges. Charlie was also seen in a car driven by Lee Sheehan in April 2016, conducting two further exchanges. The vehicle was stopped, and both men were arrested.

Cocaine, heroin and cash were all seized.

DC Brockman added: "“We then executed warrants at different addresses believed to be connected to the gang. At Harbour Towers in Gosport a sim card was located that detailed drug dealing from October 2015. Some benzocaine was also seized, which has no household use, and is used to adulterate cocaine along with other drug dealing paraphernalia.

“At Meon Mews in Cosham James Hallett was arrested and heroin with a potential street value of £100,000 if a cutting agent were to have been used was seized. Officers found a 163g block of cocaine with a purity of 85% in one of the kitchen cupboards, when combined with a cutting agent this would have had an estimated street value of nearly £40,000. A number of smaller quantities and individual wraps of heroin and cocaine with a combined value of more than £15,000 were also located."

  • 29 year-old James Hallett of Ferrol Road in Gosport was sentenced to fourteen years in prison for being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and possession with intent to supply both class A substances.

  • 48 year-old Lee Sheehan of Prospect Terrace, Gunnislake, in Cornwall was sentenced to ten years in prison for being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine.

  • 26 year-old James Whistler of the Chine in Gosport was sentenced to four years in prison for being concerned in the supply of heroin.

  • 23 year-old Charlie Jeacock of Grove Road, Rayleigh, Essex had previously entered guilty pleas and was sentenced to seven years in prison for being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine.

  • 35 year-old Billy Fitzearle of Southampton Road in Titchfield had previously entered guilty pleas and was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine