A 33-year-old man has been jailed for nearly five years for drug crimes.

Shair Khan, of Warwick Road in Walthamstow, was sentenced to four years and eight months for conspiracy to supply the class B drug mephedrone and nine months for conspiracy to supply ketamine, to be served at the same time.

He acted as a wholesaler for a drug-running gang, which included seven other men and one gang member's mother, to be sentenced at Isleworth crown court yesterday.

Police found drugs worth about £300,000 during the operation, which was run by an inmate at HMP Lowdham Grange, assisted by his mother.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Steve Meechan, from Trident Gang Crime Command, said: "These convictions were part of a complex ongoing operation by Trident officers to target organised criminal networks and their criminal assets.

"We have a zero tolerance approach to organised criminality, gang crime and drug supply and one of our aims is to confiscate proceeds of such crime.

"Vehicles, cash and other valuables have, and will continue to be seized, from those involved in drugs-related criminality.

"The Trident Gang Crime Command will continue to work with our partners, such as the prison service, where necessary to disrupt such criminality and aim to convict those who perpetrate it."