A Brentwood man has been jailed for six years for his role in a plot to supply drugs in Essex with a street value of more than £110,000.

Mirel Zeneli, 33, of Hutton Road, Shenfield, was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on March 31 after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Police said Zeneli "took a leading role" in an organised crime group which dealt drugs in south Essex between September 2021 and July 2022.

Following information received in 2021, officers launched a ten-month investigation into the group.

An Essex Police spokesperson said this culminated in warrants at the homes of three men identified as part of the group on July 21 last year. 

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Officers seized cocaine estimated to have a street value of almost £110,000, several thousand pounds of cannabis and around £10,000 cash.

Two other men were also sentenced on the same day for conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis.

Sgt Adam Jarvis, who led the investigation, said: “The length of the investigation shows the high number of man-hours needed to obtain all the evidence required to bring these three men before the court.

“But my officers are dedicated to keeping drugs off our streets and out of our county.

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“Their attention to detail and their perseverance paid off.

"With over £112k worth of drugs being seized and destroyed, they have protected our communities and removed the potential harm and misery they would have undoubtedly brought to the south of our county.”

The investigation was led by the force's South Disruptor Team.

Essex Police said the team works with other local and specialist teams to target organised criminal activity and behaviour that impacts local communities.

The force asked anyone with information about drugs or those who deal in drugs to call 101.

People can also submit a report on the Essex Police website or by using its online live chat service, which is available Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) between 10am and 9pm.

Visit www.essex.police.uk/digital101 to find out more about the force's website reporting services.

To make an anonymous report, contact independent charity Crimestoppers on Twitter at @CrimestoppersUK, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111.