A group with connections to a criminal network in Woolwich have been jailed for almost 40 years after a two year investigation into drug dealing in Medway.

Four men, a woman and a teenager have been jailed following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

The investigation started in July 2015 when a 17-year-old boy was stopped and searched by police in Chatham.

It was revealed he had drugs hidden in his home and in a distressed state he claimed Zahid Noor, 27, had threatened and forced him to sell heroin and cocaine.

He explained that on most days he would visit Billie Ashdown, 23, of Glenwood Close, Chatham where he picked up a package containing heroin and cocaine to sell.

After the teenager had been arrested, he met Zahid Noor, of Plumstead Common Road in Woolwich, and Asif Bashir, 23, of Rochester Street, Chatham who forced him into the boot of Bashir’s car.

The teenager was driven to another location where he was assaulted and told he owed money for the drugs seized by the police, and he would have to continue dealing drugs to pay off the debt.

The drugs seized at the teenager’s home address were analysed and found to have DNA on its packaging belonging to Noor and Ashdown.

Detective Sergeant Richard Spicer of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “This was an organised criminal network organising the supply of drugs from London to users throughout the Medway Towns.”

The court heard how Noor had tried to force a second 17-year-old boy to sell drugs for the criminal network.

On September 4, 2015, the teenager was in Chatham where Noor threatened to harm him and his family if he refused to supply drugs for him.

Noor gave him heroin, cocaine and a mobile phone but the teenager decided to go to the nearest police station with his mother and report what had happened.

The drugs were found to have Noor’s DNA on the packaging.

On Wednesday October 21 2015, police searched the home of Martin Olujosun, 26, of Slater Close, Woolwich.

Officers seized two bags of herbal cannabis, equipment for the preparation of Class A drugs, plastic gloves with traces of heroin and a quantity of cash.

Olujosun, Noor, Bashir, Ashdown and Joshua Buchanan-Buxton, 17, of Wigmore Road, Gillingham were arrested on Wednesday April 27 and Sunday May 1 on suspicion of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs.

Analysis of their mobile phones revealed text messages to each other and to drug users. All were charged with offences relating to the supply of drugs and were bailed to appear at court.

On Tuesday, October 4, Bashir and Noor phoned one of the 17-year-old boys who had been forced to deal drugs and tried to intimidate him to ensure he did not attend court as a witness for the prosecution.

On Sunday June 4 this year, Olujosun and Leo Skerritt-Copeland, 23, of Melville Court, Chatham did the same thing without success.

On Friday July 21 Olujosun was found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, and witness intimidation.

He had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possession of cannabis and breach of bail and was jailed for a total of 15 years.

Skerritt-Copeland pleaded guilty to witness intimidation at the same court and received a prison sentence of one year and seven months.

At an earlier hearing, Noor pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, and was found guilty by the jury of kidnap, false imprisonment and witness intimidation. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Bashir was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cannabis, kidnap and false imprisonment, and witness intimidation, and was jailed for six years.

Ashdown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Buchanan-Buxton was found guilty of being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine, and possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and was jailed to one year and four months in a Youth Offender Institution.

Detective Sergeant Richard Spicer said: “The sentences send out a strong message that those who seek to come to Kent and deal drugs will be tracked down and brought to justice.

“I would like to commend the witnesses in this case who had the courage to assist investigators throughout the court process.”