THREE men from Cumbria along with a man from North Yorkshire have been sentenced to almost 20 years in prison for drugs offences.

Steven William McNeil, aged 31, of Burnrigg, Carlisle, was sentenced to 4.5 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine; · John Proudfoot, aged 33, of Ravenstone Way, Carlisle, was sentenced to 5.5 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine; · Daniel Kirk, aged 20, of Low Row, Brampton, was sentenced to 4 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine; · Jamie Daniel Tyler, aged 25, of Kirkby Moorside, North Yorkshire, was sentenced to 4.5 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

The four were sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court last Friday. The sentences form part of Operation Harmonica, which saw a total of £19,876 worth of cocaine seized by police.

On the February 29th 2016, police observed Proudfoot and McNeil drive to the Black Lion pub at Durdar, Carlisle, where they met with Daniel Kirk. Cocaine worth £19,428 was handed from Kirk to Proudfoot and McNeil after which attempts were made by police to stop the vehicle Proudfoot and McNeil were travelling in.

Their vehicle was eventually stopped near Dalston where officers saw McNeil emerge from the passenger side of the vehicle and drop the cocaine onto the roadside. Amongst the cocaine was £2,400 cash. A search at McNeil’s home revealed £700 cash stored in an industrial sized safe.

Kirk was arrested later that day and £448 worth of cocaine was seized from him. A search of the vehicle used by Proudfoot and McNeil located a metal forming agent which had traces of cocaine and benzocaine. In the opinion of a drugs expert witness this was commonly used in conjunction with the hydraulic pressing and adulteration of cocaine.

This was a significant seizure since police had observed Proudfoot purchase a hydraulic press earlier in the operation. Proudfoot drove to McNeil’s house immediately after buying that hydraulic press.

On March 3rd 2016 Jamie Tyler was arrested in Kirby Moorside, North Yorkshire. Mobile phone evidence had shown he had facilitated the meeting between Proudfoot, McNeil and Kirk on the February 29th.

Tyler was also implicated in a criminal meeting Proudfoot and Kirk had at the Border Gate car park on Warwick Road, Carlisle, February 3rd 2016, which he also facilitated via mobile phone. Proudfoot visited McNeil immediately after that meeting.

Proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act will now begin in an attempt to recover the group’s financial gain from supplying cocaine.

A police spokesperson said: "The investigation of Class A drugs supply is a priority for Cumbria Police. The sentences imposed in this case should act as a deterrent to those wishing to involve themselves in drug supply.

"Cumbria Police will continue to proactively investigate those involved in drug supply in order to bring those offenders to justice and protect the public from the harm they cause to our communities. This group have benefited substantially from their criminality and we will now use legislation under the Proceeds of Crime Act to take their profits from them."