Two drug dealers who confessed to selling crack cocaine in Chigwell and Hainault have been jailed for a total of six years between them.

But three of the dealers’ accomplices have been spared jail after being handed suspended sentences for their roles in the same county lines gang, which supplied drugs across Redbridge and Epping Forest.

All five were sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, January 25.

The court heard how the gang, known as the “Chris” line, was targeted by Essex Police’s Operation Raptor West team during a six-month investigation into five groups.

All those targeted were alleged to have been involved in the supply of Class A drugs in Chigwell, Limes Farm, Hainault, Debden, Loughton, Buckhurst Hill.

They are believed to have made up to £3,000 per day from the sale of illegal substances.

Two of this gang’s key members were 20-year-old Chad Morris and 30-year-old Jordan Young, both from Walthamstow.

They would coordinate the supply of drugs and use “runners” to carry out the deals.

Morris was caught dealing crack cocaine in Loughton on various occasions in August last year, while Young was caught dealing rocks and wraps of crack cocaine on multiple occasions in July.

Both were jailed for three years each.

Morris admitted to four counts of supplying Class A drugs and Young admitted one.

Three other gang members appeared in the dock alongside Morris and Young for sentencing.

Salim Adam, 20, of Tudor Road, Leicester and Tom King, 37 of Colson Road, Loughton were sentenced to two-year jail terms suspended for two years each.

Adam admitted two counts of supplying Class A drugs while King admitted one count of the same.

Joel Young, 22 also of Elmsdale Road, Walthamstow admitted possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply and was given a nine-month jail term suspended for a year.

Det Sgt James Paget, of the West Operation Raptor team, said: “We remain committed to targeting all those intent on supplying drugs on the streets of our county, from the top of the gang to the bottom.

“If that means we spend months building a case to take these criminals down then that’s what we will do, Operation Raptor will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of drug dealing gangs.”

Supported by Epping Forest District Council, who also provided £5,000 towards the cost of the policing operation, Essex Police began investigating the gangs and building a picture on key members.

The probe culminated with the execution of 19 warrants and 24 arrests in November 2018.