DRUG dealers caught in a major undercover sting operation that ran for three months in Worcester have been jailed for a total of 45 years.

An undercover officer known as Danny infiltrated the city’s drugs scene to gather information on the suppliers of heroin and cocaine, Worcester Crown Court was told.

From last October to the end of January, he bought deals from a flat in Lowesmoor and caught a High Street beggar whose role was introducing users to dealers.

Most of the deals were caught on camera or were on audio recordings, Robert Price, prosecuting, told the court. The sting was named Operation Dorado by West Mercia Police .

One of them was in Lowesmoor where officers had seen a number of people visiting a flat, staying a short time and then leaving.

When ‘Danny’ visited, he was sold wraps of heroin and cocaine for £10 or £20 each depending on the quantity.

The flat was rented by Cheryl Mapp, aged 31, who lived there with her boyfriend, Neil Jones, 34, and Matthew Wright, 26. All three pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Danny bought drugs of each of them on separate occasions when he visited the flat and on one visit there were between 10 and 15 people seen to go in, Mr Price said.

Amanda Tomkins, for Mapp, said she had bagged up the drugs and got her own free but had played a minor role and was now tackling her own addiction.

Jason Aris, defending Jones, said he admitted full responsibility for his actions and was grateful to the police. If he had not been arrested, he feared he would have been dead through his addiction.

Jason Patel, for Wright, said he had a limited role. He had a full-time job and had been offered a room in the flat, which he paid for, but he was aware of what was going on and had supplied the drugs to Danny.

Recorder Andrew Easteal jailed Mapp and Wright for 34 months. He jailed Jones, who had previous convictions for drugs offences, for 40 months.

Mr Price said Danny was put in touch with Jason George, 28, of Sansome Walk, who sold him one £10 wrap of heroin. Charles Hamer, for George, said he had a drugs habit which had blighted his whole life.

He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and was jailed for 16 months.Richard Johnson, 35, of Barbourne Road, who played a significant role in the operation was jailed for five years and four months as was Mohammad Sadiq, from Wolverhampton.

Danny also contacted homeless Simon Sliwinski who had a regular begging place in the High Street. Mr Price said his role was to introduce users to dealers through mobile phone calls when asked.

Charles Hamer, defending, said he was well known in Worcester and known as an addict. His role was to facilitate supply and he had not made a financial gain. He was jailed for two years.

Danny was also put in touch with others involved in the conspiracy who pleaded guilty.

He bought wraps of drugs from Mohammad Hussain, 24, of Arboretum Road and Jamal Al-Ghani, also 24, of Nibley Close, Warndon. Both were jailed for 36 months.

Gary Griffin, 33 of no fixed address; Leighton Bowkett, 39, of Brookthorpe Close, Warndon, and Michael Juson, 45, of no fixed address, who were described as “runners” in the conspiracy each were given 20 months.

The judge described them as “idiots” and said without their involvement the people who organised the supply of drugs and often did not get caught would not be able to operate.

Muddsiar Shabir, 31, of Friesland Close, Blackpole, was jailed for three years eight months with six months for the possession of the class B drug mcat to run concurrently. Mark Machae, 39, of Gresham Road, Dines Green, was jailed for 20 months.

John Francis, 34, of Wyld’s Lane, was jailed for two years and Rohan Hanchard-Kerr, of Wolverhampton, aged 21, was given four years four months with two- and-a-half years concurrent for supplying cannabis .

Recorder Andrew Easteal said: “People who live in the city and the surrounding areas deserve to be protected. They have a right to be angry about this case.

He told Shabir, who had said to police “It’s a job. I need the money” that he now found himself in crown court. “It’s not a job. It’s a crime,” he said.

He said the officers involved would be commended in due course but wanted to express his admiration.

He said they should all be extremely proud, particularly the undercover officer who had literally put his life on the line in a very stressful and frightening operation.

Three others, Jodie Evans, aged 22, of Barbourne Road; Andrew King, 45, also of Barbourne Road, and Timothy Gibbs, 34, of Compton Road, off Wyld’s Lane, appeared in court and are now set to go for trial on conspiracy charges next April.

Four others from the Wolverhampton area are due to go for trial in May next year. In total 28 people have already pleaded guilty.

More defendants are due to be sentenced this week.