Three north Cumbrian men have been jailed for 14 years for drugs offences.

The trio had all admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and were sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court last Friday.

Steven William McNeil, of Burnrigg, Carlisle, was given four-and-a-half years; John Proudfoot, of Ravenstone Way, Carlisle, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years; and Daniel Kirk, of Low Row, Brampton, jailed for four years.

A fourth man, Jamie Daniel Tyler, 25, of Kirkby Moorside in North Yorkshire, was also sentenced to four-and-a-half years for the same offence.

The men were arrested as part of Operation Harmonica, which saw a total of £19,876 worth of cocaine seized by police.

In police watched Proudfoot, 33, and McNeil, 31, drive to the Black Lion pub at Durdar, Carlisle, where they met with 20-year-old Kirk.

Cocaine worth £19,428 was seen to be passed from Kirk to Proudfoot and McNeil.

Officers eventually managed to stop the vehicle containing Proudfoot and McNeil near Dalston, where McNeil was seen to get out of the passenger side and drop the cocaine onto the roadside.

About £2,400 cash was also found.

A search of McNeil’s home revealed a further £700 cash, while £448 of cocaine was seized from Kirk when he was arrested later that day.

On March 3, Jamie Tyler was arrested in Kirby Moorside, North Yorkshire.

Mobile phone evidence had shown he had set up the meeting between Proudfoot, McNeil and Kirk on February 29.

Cumbria Police will now begin proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the group’s financial gain from supplying cocaine.

A police spokewoman said: "The investigation of Class A drugs supply is a priority for Cumbria Police.

"The sentences imposed in this case should act as a deterrent to those wishing to involve themselves in drug supply.

"Cumbria Police will continue to proactively investigate those involved in drug supply in order to bring those offenders to justice and protect the public from the harm they cause to our communities.

"This group have benefited substantially from their criminality and we will now use legislation under the Proceeds of Crime Act to take their profits from them."