Police say Cumbria is not a soft touch as they revealed sentences of more than 300 years have been handed down to drugs criminals in the last year.

The sentences - for drug supply offences - have been issued to criminals at all levels - from dealers to couriers.

A campaign that aims to raise awareness of the issues of drug supply and the associated crimes in communities has been launched.

It focuses on organised crime groups who operate in an area that they don’t reside in.

They exploit local vulnerable people and those that are indebted to them to carry out orders placing the risk of capture on them.

DCI David Stalker said: "Cumbria is often targeted by criminal gangs from Merseyside or Greater Manchester to establish control over a local drug market.

"There are a number of reasons for this and one of them may be the belief that we may be perceived as a soft touch.

"This could not be further from the truth as our operations and investigation have led to scores of criminals being brought to justice.

"I can reassure the public that we will not be complacent and we look to continue to clean up our communities by targeting, and applying pressure, to those who look to supply controlled drugs in Cumbria.

"The public have a big part to play in this as their information can be vital. If you have any information on drug dealing within Cumbria we would love to hear from you. Drug dealing, even at a street-level, is often part of a chain of events that can lead to further serious-level criminality occurring.”

Cumbria's crime commissioner Peter McCall said: "Information is key to success and I ask that we all work together to stamp this out in our county, and help protect those who may be exploited.

"I welcome the fact that through the hard work of police officers and staff, perpetrators of drug offences are being brought to justice and hope that this sends a powerful message to drug dealers that there is no place for them in Cumbria."

Two detectives were this week commended by a judge for their work in bringing a Carlisle drugs supply gang to book.

Seven criminals received prison terms totalling almost half a century at the city's crown court on Monday. They plotted to sell vast quantities of heroin and cocaine to addicts whose details were compiled by local crooks in a crude customer directory.

Group text messages were sent to would-be buyers through a single pay-as-you-go mobile phone.

One of the conspirators even booted a local addict out of his Carlisle home to establish an illegal dealership through which drugs could be peddled.

But the 20-month plot was smashed by Cumbria police who amassed a vast dossier of damning evidence during a painstaking investigation.

And as Judge Peter Davies handed down prison sentences to the conspirators this week, he was told of the key role played by two officers - Acting Detective Inspector Patrick McDonnell and Detective Constable Jay Ritson.

They pair were singled out for special mention by prosecutor Michael Brady. He spoke of their key contribution in targeting what had been a "well organised, long running and highly profitable enterprise".

In response, Judge Davies said of ADI McDonnell and DC Ritson: "They have worked intensely; they have worked extremely hard; they should be commended."