A man has been jailed for 25 years for drug dealing across the UK.

Erald Mema, 33, was one of the heads of an organised crime group which was supplying cocaine across the country on a commercial basis.

Mema, an Albanian national who has lived in the UK since 2003, lived at addresses in Beaconsfield and Oxford, and was arrested and charged on November 23 last year for his “instrumental” involvement in the drugs supply conspiracy.

His arrest and conviction came as part of Operation Stingray and following an investigation by Thames Valley Police’s serious and organised crime unit.

Operation Stingray was a “significant and lengthy” investigation into an organised crime network which was concerned in the commercial supply of high purity cocaine throughout the United Kingdom.

Police said it was a complex and significant criminal venture, and the investigation team worked closely with law enforcement partners from the West Midlands and Metropolitan police areas.

Mema was found guilty by jury on Thursday of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, following a trial at Oxford Crown Court. He was convicted yesterday (Friday) and jailed for 25 years.

Before Mema was arrested, 19 others were convicted for their involvement in the drugs gang, which included the preparation, storage and distribution of cocaine.

Khalad Uddin, of Little Brewery Street, St Clements, Oxford, was sentenced to two years for conspiracy to supply drugs, which ran concurrently to a 14-year prison term for firearms offences in July 2017.

The court was told that Mema was able to control and run his criminal enterprise from the UK and at times from his homeland, Albania. The organisation was able to source and distribute “multi-kilo” deliveries of cocaine via a series of drugs couriers throughout the Midlands, Oxford and Bracknell areas.

Police said the evidence provided during Mema’s six-week trial demonstrated a “pivotal and leading” relationship between Mema and Uddin, and the onward supply chain to further organised crime groups controlled by criminal associates Craig Davies, 31, of Murdoch Drive, Kingswinford, West Midlands, David Stokes, 33, of Tennyson Way, Kidderminster, Worcestershire and Steve Hutcheson, 39 of Ullswater, Bracknell.

Davies, Stokes and Hutcheson were sentenced to 15 years six months, 14 years six months and nine years six months behind bars respectively at hearings in 2017.

Operation Stingray led to individuals, including Mema, to be sentenced to a total of 165 years behind bars.

Detective Chief Inspector, Bruce Riddell who was the senior investigating officer, said: “The conviction and sentencing of Erald Mema is an excellent result not just for Thames Valley Police but for the communities we serve as well.

“The hard work of officers within Thames Valley Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit has led to the dismantling of a number of OCG’s who were transporting, and supplying cocaine on a commercial scale.

“The successful conviction would not have been possible without the close partnership working and support of other Forces, which enabled the investigation team to gather and share evidence in order to bring Mema and others in the conspiracy to justice.

“This investigation has been another example of Thames Valley Police’s Stronghold campaign which works in partnership in order to tackle serious and organised crime.

“Through Stronghold, Thames Valley Police will continue to disrupt and bring to justice any organised crime group who seek to deal Class A drugs across county lines and stop the devastating effect that these drugs have on our communities.”