THREE members of a major drugs ring are in jail after a major undercover police operation.

The three, including ringleader Mark Venner, were jailed for a total of 23 years after police spent months on stakeouts and surveillance work gathering evidence.

They even bugged Venner’s car and he was heard discussing drug deals, and talking about customers who had complained about the quaility of the cocaine he was supplying.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard Venner even ignored warnings from other gang members that information about deals was leaking out.

Martyn Levett, prosecuting, said: “He was given warnings about drugs busts, but he seemed to think he was invincible.”

Police picked up conversations about drugs deals throughout the Colchester area and as officers built up a picture of what was going on, they started to swoop.

There were arrests at a farm near Mersea, and at a Tesco bottle bank, while gang members were observed meeting outside a pub in Stanway.

Officers also raided a number of addresses in town, and at one they found a cocaine processing factory. There were chemicals to cut cocaine, a special heavy press and scales all found at the scene.

Venner and three others were told by a Chelmsford Crown Court judge it had been a serious and sophisticated operation.

The judge praised the police for their work in catching the gang.

“The public of Colchester owe a very significant debt of gratitude to the police for masterminding a highly successful operation,” Judge Christopher Ball QC said.

Det Con Andy Dalgleish and the rest of the police team involved were also commended.

The court heard large amounts of cannabis, cannabis resin and cocaine were distributed to dealers throughout the area by Venner’s wholesaling drugs operation.

But police heard about it and a surveillance operation – Operation Escalope – was launched last summer.

As information came in, the arrests mounted and ten people were eventually charged.

Some have already been sentenced. Houses in Colchester were watched, cars followed and there were also stakeouts at a number of locations in the Colchester area.

A large amount of herbal cannabis – 56 kilos – was seized from a farm near Mersea Island, and officers also seized more than eight kilos of benzocaine.

This chemical is used as a cutting agent to reduce the quality of cocaine. A quantity of this chemical, and a heavy-duty press used in processing cocaine, was found at the home of Kristan Harvey, 38, at Hunting Gate, Colchester.

Police also observed Venner, 37, from Church Hill, Lawford, and the man described in court as his lieutenant – Jamie Pinder, 32, of Garland Road, Colchester.

Venner and Pinder admitted charges of conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis, between July and November last year.

Venner was jailed for 11 years and Pinder six-and-a-half years.

Harvey admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and was jailed for five-and-a-half years. Another man, Simon Collins, 38, of Winnock Road, Colchester, denied, but was convicted of, conspiracy to supply cocaine, after a trial. He will be sentenced later.

Mr Levett told the court police were unable to say how much cocaine and cannabis was involved, but he described the amounts as “substantial”.

Venner’s barrister, Louise Sweet, said he had run a successful gardening business, but got into difficulties and turned to drugs. Stephen Dyble, mitigating for Pinder, said he was a trusted friend of Venner.

Harvey’s barrister, Cyrus Shroff, said he had got involved with people much more sophisticated than himself after geting into debt.

“He got involved through his own misfortune and foolishness,” Mr Shroff said.