THE top police officer in South Cumbria has issued a stark warning to organised criminals who try to push drugs in Barrow.

Last week two men were sentenced to a combined total of seven years and 10 months for drug-related crime.

Superintendent Rob O'Connor of Cumbria Police said criminals like them would never find it easy to peddle drugs in south Cumbria.

He said: "Last week we have seen the Courts hand down a sentence of five years and eight months to Ryan Mitchell, 42 , and two years two months to Anthony Wharton, 68. Although they were not connected, the common denominator was the supply of Class A controlled drugs into the Barrow area."

Another offender, 54-year-old Claire Potts, of Ulverston, was told to repay tens of thousands of pounds after being found guilty of drugs offences.

Supt O'Connor said: "We have also seen the courts order Claire Potts to repay nearly £20,000 made through the supply of drugs or face imprisonment.

"These sentences and the use of the Proceeds of Crime Act demonstrates that we will use very tool in our armoury to place people before the courts with a view to them being imprisoned, then ensure that they do not profit from their ill-gotten gains."

In recent years Barrow has seen gangs running drugs from the Manchester and Liverpool areas.

In April of 2016 a major police operation saw the seizure of £72,000 worth of Class A drugs in the town.

Speaking at the time, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Coughlan said: "It's being brought in by organised criminal gangs predominantly from Liverpool but also from Manchester; we're talking about crack cocaine, heroin and cocaine."

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Supt O'Connor confirmed since then there has been fresh action from the police to tackle the drug distribution network in the North West.

He said: "In the last few months we have conducted Operation Torpedo which was instigated to target the organised crime groups from the Manchester and Liverpool areas who try to peddle their drugs on the streets of the Barrow area."

However, in spite of the police's work, fresh challenges constantly appear.

"Sadly once we see success with one group, they are quickly replaced. What I can reassure the public of though is this, we will not take our eye off the ball, and those who think that coming to Barrow and supplying drugs is easy will have plenty of time to reflect on that when they are staring at a prison cell wall for the next few years," continued Supt O'Connor.

The work of officers on the streets of Barrow and behind the scenes was praised, as Supt O'Connor paid tribute to the work that goes on not just in public, but behind closed doors.

He said: "There is an unseen side of policing that the public don’t see in the countless hours my officers commit to securing evidence to ensure those involved in the most serious criminality are properly punished by the courts."

"The targeting of persons involved in the supply of drugs as part of organised crime groups, and tackling the associated criminality is what my officers do to keep the people of Barrow and the surrounding areas safe.

"The recent sentences handed down, and those we have seen in the past should be seen as a stark warning. You supply drugs in Barrow and we will catch you," he added.