A Brent woman and two Hackney men who helped supply drugs into Chelmsford and Colchester have been jailed.

The sentences were the result of a two-year investigation by Essex Police into the Captain, Max and TJ supply lines.

The lines were initially disrupted in July 2020 when Rowan Brown was jailed for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

However, Brown had direct contact with Amy Goldfinch and Peter Okunzuwa, who were playing leading roles in running the lines outside of prison.

Goldfinch, 28, ran the day-to-day business of the Max line with instruction from Brown, who had two small phones with him in prison.

He would arrange "reloads" for her and tell her where to go for pickups.

Goldfinch had a number of people working for her to deal drugs in Chelmsford.

At the same time, Okunzuwa, 32, was involved in supplying crack cocaine into Colchester through the Captain line.

Meanwhile, Dejah Henriques headed up the TJ line, which was supplying crack cocaine and heroin in Chelmsford.

The 23-year-old was also helping Goldfinch with the Max line.

All four were jailed after each admitting two counts of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

They were among eight people sentenced for their roles in the drug network at Chelmsford Crown Court on May 6.

Goldfinch, of Church Road, Church End was jailed for a total of nine years.

Okunzuwa of Lea Bridge Road, Lower Clapton was sentenced to six years and nine months.

Henriques, of Digby Road, Homerton, got seven years and six months.

Brown was jailed for 11 years, to run consecutively to his original sentence - meaning he is now serving a total of 16 years.

Police say all four have had proceeds of crime action instigated against them and applications have also been made for each to receive a Serious Crime Prevention Order.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Neal Miller, who leads the Essex Police Op Raptor teams, said: "This group of people believed they could carry on their business of exploitation because they were above the law. They were wrong.

"They had no idea our teams were building overwhelming cases against them so that when we did strike, they had very little option but admit their crimes and accept the sentences handed down to them."