ONE of London's most prolific drug dealers was jailed for 13 years on Tuesday following the biggest investigation ever undertaken by the Met's Operation Trident.

Forty-six-year-old Owen Clarke, aka Father Fowl, ran an international crack cocaine importation and distribution network from his relatively modest home in Rugby Avenue, Sudbury Town.

On Friday, June 11, at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Clarke was found guilty of two counts of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, one count of supplying crack cocaine and one count of conspiracy to manufacture crack cocaine.

Evan Powell, 21, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to three years.

Jason Saddler, 24, of Harlesden, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, being concerned with the manufacture of crack cocaine and being concerned with the supply of crack cocaine. He was sentenced to five years.

Napoleon Eronini, 42, of Bow, who had been charged with conspiracy to supply crack cocaine was acquitted on Friday.

Judge Kennedy commended the professionalism of the investigation, stating DS Steve Waller and his team deserved the thanks of the community and a transcript of his remarks would be sent to the Commissioner.

The sentences are the culmination of a huge operation spanning five countries and resulting in more than 30 arrests worldwide.

Trident officers, working closely with the National Criminal Intelligence Service, HM Customs and Excise, the Jamaican authorities and other UK police forces, targeted Clarke's network in a bid to de-stabilise the organisation from grass roots level upwards.

In total, 144 years imprisonment have been handed down by UK courts to 16 people with links to the network following their arrest by Trident officers.

It is impossible to quantify exactly how much cocaine the organisation distributed over the years. However, during one seizure alone Trident officers recovered 51 kilos of cocaine at an address and found evidence of a further 50 kilos of cocaine while raiding one of Clarke's "safe-houses".

Detective Chief Superintendent John Coles, the head of Operation Trident, welcomed the convictions.

He said: "This operation is by far the biggest and most successful so far undertaken by Trident. It has meant that a major international drugs ring has been taken out of operation, disrupting the supply of crack cocaine from the Caribbean to London and the rest of the UK.

"It is our intention to carry out similar operations in the future as a result of this success."

Chief Superintendent Andy Bamber, borough commander for Brent, said: "The MPS has been successful in disrupting and curtailing a major crack cocaine supply chain. Clarke's activities had a devastating effect on the community.