TWO men - who were involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine across the South West - have been jailed.

Rhys Johnson-Charles, 20, and Rickai Codner, 21 pleaded guilty to county lines drug offences at Bristol Crown Court on Friday (February 12).

Approximately 1.5kg of class A drugs (with an estimated value of £100,000) were brought to the region (including Bath and Midsomer Norton) from London by train.

Arrests were made following a joint-operation between Avon and Somerset Police and the Metropolitan Police.

Sergeant Darrell Boothroyd, of the Operation Remedy team, said: “These sentences come following a lengthy investigation, led by PC Kayleigh Hole.

“The pair played a significant role in this regional drug supply operation by taking over properties of vulnerable people across different counties in order to deal class A drugs.

“Dealing class A drugs has a huge impact on local communities, increasing serious and acquisitive crime, along with antisocial behaviour.

“We will not tolerate drug supply in Avon and Somerset and will continue to target dealers whose actions bring about misery to local communities.

“We’d urge anyone who has issues in their neighbourhood to contact the police on 101. These reports are vital in helping us to build up a picture of what is happening in a given area so we can take proactive action and bring offenders to justice.”

Johnson-Charles, of Ellwood Gardens in Watford, was jailed for five years at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 12 February. He was sentenced to another nine months for breaching his suspended sentence for a previous drug offence, which will run consecutively.

Codner, of Larkspur Close in London, was jailed for four years and eight months.

Stephen Adetoyi, 22, of Rangefield Road, Bromley, is due to be sentenced for the same offences at a future date.

The illegal enterprise saw drugs brought to Wiltshire, Cornwall, Devon, and Avon and Somerset between October 2019 and December 2020.