THREE drug dealers have been jailed for a total of seven years and four months after a major police operation in Bournemouth.

Specialist officers from Zephyr, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, uncovered heroin dealing from a property in Purbeck Road.

Operation Darwin revealed that Nile Burke from Bristol, contacted Bournemouth resident Rashid Jbilou in June 2016 to arrange to buy heroin.

Days later, a second Bournemouth resident, Sofian Brozi, attended a property in Purbeck Road and left with a white plastic bag containing heroin.

He got into the back of a car, which had travelled from Bristol containing Burke and Roxanne Gayle, also from Bristol. A short time later he got out of the vehicle and it drove off.

The car was stopped shortly afterwards by officers who discovered Gayle and Burke with 111gms of heroin, with a street value of £11,100.

A month later Brozi was arrested and searches were conducted of his home and the property in Purbeck Road. Police seized cocaine, heroin, MDMA and ketamine.

It was established that the Purbeck Road property was being used to store and prepare the drugs for onward sale.

Jbilou, Brozi, Burke and Gayle were all charged and admitted conspiracy to supply heroin when they appeared before Bristol Crown Court. Brozi also admitted to possession with intent to supply drugs.

Jbilou, 41, of West Hill Road, Bournemouth, was jailed for three years.

Burke, 24, of Pennyroyal Grove, Stapleton, Bristol, was given a 32 month sentence.

Brozi, aged 30, of Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, was jailed for 20 months.

Gayle, aged 24 years of Ryeleaze, Shirehampton in Bristol, was jailed for 18 months, suspended for 18 months, and is also required to complete 180 hours of unpaid work during the coming 12 months.