Two drug couriers who were part of an operation to flood Carlisle with heroin have been given lengthy jail terms.

David Field, 26, and Stephen Hammond, 29, were sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court after they both admitted conspiring to supply Class A drugs. Their role was to collect cash from Carlisle dealers.

Judge Peter Hughes QC gave Field, of Leafield Road, Liverpool, four years and three months and Hammond, of Winston Road, Liverpool, three years and nine months.

The men were arrested at their home addresses in Liverpool on June 4 last year after being identified as the owners of cars which travelled to Carlisle in March 2015 delivering drugs.

Their arrests were part of an investigation about a huge drug supply operation by Merseyside-based couriers to a Carlisle-based crime gang led by 52-year-old Gary Duncanson.

In September 2015, Judge Peter Hughes QC, sitting Carlisle Crown Court,heard how police officers had seized the largest ever consignment of heroin within the city, worth £250,000, before jailing Duncanson for 20 years for his part in the conspiracy.

Fellow conspirator Aaron Fuller was jailed for 10 years and David Hales got seven years and four months.

Also jailed for six years at the same time was a further Merseyside-based courier, Paul Smith, who police arrested close to the M6 where he was found to be in possession of £9,000, which officers believed was part payment for consignments of drugs.

In June 2016 Steven Wong, was jailed for three years after also being identified as a drugs courier in relation to this investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Hill, from Cumbria Police's Serious and Organised Crime Squad, said: “We hope that these sentences sends out a clear message to all those who are involved in drug supply that such activity will not be tolerated in Cumbria.

“Drug supply often leads to further crimes including violence as crime groups try to establish themselves which often ends up causing misery for local communities. Cumbria Police proactively identify and target drug dealers and crime groups working within the county and those from outside Cumbria who aim to set up their business here.

“Field and Hammond are just the latest of a long line of Merseyside based drugs couriers who are now serving time for their crimes.

“Couriers are often paid a pittance to transport drugs between Liverpool and Cumbria whilst this is taken into account at sentencing so is the classification and value of the drugs recovered.

“We will continue to prosecute all those involved in drug supply in our efforts to keep the local communities in Cumbria safe from drug-related crime.”

Anyone with information into the supply of drugs is asked to contact police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.