Five members of a drug dealing gang who supplied Class A drugs across parts of the district have been sentenced.

Known as the “Chris” line, the gang was uncovered by Essex Police’s Operation Raptor West team during a six-month investigation.

The men were caught using runners to deliver illegal substances in Barfields, Loughton, on several occasions in July and August 2018.

Chad Morris, 20, of The Mile End, Walthamstow, and Jordan Young, 30, of Elmsdale Road, Walthamstow, were the key organisers within the gang.

Both admitted to counts of supplying a Class A drug and were jailed for three years.

Three other members of the gang also appeared in the dock alongside Morris and Young to be sentenced.

Tom King, 37, of Colson Road, Loughton, and Salim Adam, 20, of Tudor Road, Leicester, both admitted two counts of supplying Class A drugs and were given two-year jail terms suspended for two years.

And Joel Young, 22 also of Elmsdale Road, Walthamstow admitted possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply and was given a nine-month jail term suspended for a year.

Essex Police began the investigation in May 2018 after Epping Forest District Council provided £5,000 towards the operation.

Det Sgt James Paget, of the West Operation Raptor team, gave a statement after the sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court.

He said: “Following a lengthy investigation we were able to take out the entire “Chris” county line, from Chad Morris and Jordan Young who were the key organisers at the top of the gang, to the runners below them who were physically selling and dealing the drugs on the streets,

“We remain committed to targeting all those intent on supplying drugs on the streets of our county, from the top of the gang to the bottom.”

Those targeted were alleged to be making up to £3,000 a day from selling drugs in Debden, Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Limes Farm and Hainault.