FOUR people have been sentenced after they were involved in a crack cocaine and heroin supply conspiracy to move drugs from Bristol into Wiltshire.

Melody Collins, 28, of High Street, Pewsey was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment while Tumaini Matsimela, 34, of Wilson Street, Bristol was sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment.

Jack Hedges, 23, of Pockeridge Road, Corsham, was also sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 30 days rehabilitation and forfeiture of £420 and Franco Cosentino, 37, of Cranesbill Road, Melksham, was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment suspended for two years, with 20 days rehabilitation, 200 hours unpaid work and six month drug dependency rehabilitation.

The group were busted by the Dedicated Crime Team after Matsimela was stopped and searched at Chippenham Train Station in November 2014. He fought with officers and threw Class A drugs into a bush, with some discovered in his pockets. He was arrested and bailed whilst the investigation continued and searched again the following year.

In the St Paul's Area of Bristol on February 2, 2016, he was arrested after police discovered he was on his way to supply Class A drugs to Cosentino and Hedges with the drugs, which they were going to sell in Wiltshire. It was later revealed that Collins was in charge of the Class A enterprise.

Upon searching Matsimela's home address, they found his brother Abiola inside with more than £2,000 worth of cannabis and £1,100 in cash. He was sentenced at an earlier hearing for possession with intent to supply class B drugs.

Matsimela, Collins, Hedges and Cosentino were all charged with conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin between 26 December 2015 and 3 February 2016. They all pleaded guilty.

PC Luke Barnett, of the Dedicated Crime Team at Melksham, said: “I am very happy with the sentences passed in this case.

“Matsimela had been active in Wiltshire for some time, supplying hard drugs onto the streets of our towns and was well versed in police tactics. It required a lengthy investigation to successfully convict him of these offences and I am pleased that we were able to also successfully convict other significant members of his supply network.

“County Lines drug networks, who supply drugs from large cities such as Bristol into Wiltshire, pose a significant risk to our communities and we are determined to bring the offenders to justice.”

If you suspect county lines drug activity in your community, please report it on 101, all information is treated with the utmost discretion.