Twelve members of a drug gang that supplied cocaine to bankers in central London have been given lengthy prison sentences.

Two ring-leaders Bledar Ponari, 28, and Fjoralb Fera, 21, ruled over eight couriers and two call handlers as they pedalled drugs across the capital’s Square Mile.

The ring was smashed when a courier was pulled over on a routine check and he was found to have cocaine.

That led to the discovery of a further 1.2kg of cocaine, worth around £144,000, and £20,000 in cash and two phones that were described as ‘extremely active’.

A spokesman for City of London Police said: ‘The City of London Police has disrupted a large scale organised crime gang responsible for taking orders of cocaine from City workers and delivering the drugs in the Square Mile and central London.

‘The eight-month long investigation has not only resulted in eight ‘couriers’ of the drugs being sentenced to jail, but also two ‘controllers’, who would take the orders of cocaine and arrange for their pick-up.

‘It began with a routine traffic stop where cocaine was found and then from that covert work began to progress up the chain.

‘Two other individuals involved with the group were found guilty of non-drug related offences. Overall, the gang of 12 have been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.

‘In total, 1.2kg of drugs with a street value of up to £144,000 were seized, along with over £20,000 in cash.

‘Two mobile phones also seized during the operation were found to be extremely active ‘drug line’ phones, belonging to the two ‘controllers’.’

Detective Constable Lee Johnson said: ‘A lot of individuals delivering drugs across the capital are young and vulnerable people who are being exploited.

‘Many people don’t realise it, but money from selling drugs can be used to fund other serious offences.

‘This operation has been incredibly successful in disrupting a large and organised group of criminals, making a profit from the sale and distribution of cocaine in the City.

‘The arrest and sentencing of these individuals sends a strong message both to people coming to the City to sell drugs and those in the City buying them: this will not be tolerated by police.

‘We are doing all we can to bring those responsible for selling drugs to justice and to protect those at risk of exploitation.’

Bledar Ponari, 28, from Hackney, was sentenced to over five years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and six months concurrent for possession of improperly obtained identity documents.

Fjoralb Fera, 21, from Leyton was sentenced to five years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and for possession of criminal property.

Halil Shehu, 22, from Islington, was sentenced to nearly three years for possession with intent to supply cocaine

Klevis Drahzi, 20, from Edmonton, was sentenced to 11 months for possession with intent to supply cocaine and three months concurrent for possession of false identification documents with intent.

Fabio Domi, 21, from Camden, was sentenced to nearly three years  in a young offender’s institution for possession with intent to supply cocaine with concurrent sentences of four months for possession of identity documents with improper intention, four months for possession of improperly obtained identity document and six months for possession of criminal property.

Mario Prendi, 27, of no fixed abode was sentenced to over two years  for possession with intent to supply cocaine and one month concurrent for possession of criminal property.

Albi Hoxha, 23, of no fixed abode was sentenced to nearly three years for possession with intent to supply cocaine.

Bledar Xhani, 23, from Southgate was sentenced to three years for possession with intent to supply cocaine, with concurrent sentences of eight months for dangerous driving and four months for possession of identity documents with improper intention.

Dritan Jella, 33, from Rochester, Kent was sentenced to four months for possession of fraudulent identification documents with intent.

Kladji Qyra 22, from Lambeth was sentenced to over two years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Emirjan Demiraj 22, from North Finchley was sentenced to nearly three years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Erdi Nezaj, 25, of no fixed abode was also arrested but immediately deported to Albania by the immigration services.

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