A MAN from Prestwich is among five people who have been jailed for their part in a multi-million pound drugs ring.

Atif Zarif, aged 35, of Daneshill, Prestwich, has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis.

He was found to have managed the group's supply of drugs into the Prestwich area and was instructed to direct the operation in the UK.

At Manchester Crown Court today, the men were sentenced to more than 13-and-a-half years in prison between them as part of Operation Vertex – an investigation into drug supply in Greater Manchester.

Declan Reilly, aged 25, and his brother John Reilly, aged 27, both of Cedric Road, Manchester, supplied drugs to trusted associates who couriered the illicit products.

When officers executed a warrant at their house, John Reilly threw a kilogram of cocaine out of the window, only to be almost immediately recovered by officers.

The couriers – Jordan Legge, aged 26, of Hilltop Grove, Manchester, Louis Beswick, aged 26, of Walker Street, Manchester and James Davis, aged 25, of Heaton Street, Manchester – worked on the Reilly brothers’ instructions, disseminating the drugs throughout Greater Manchester.

Between June 2016 and April 2018 – nine men from the same gang were jailed for 75 years.

The investigation, which is led by GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group, continues with enquiries into those associated with the gang, some of whom are believed to be overseas, ongoing.

Detective Inspector Lee Griffin from GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group said: “This has been a long running investigation, this group caught our eye in 2016 and we monitored their activities for some time.

“They collected 60kg of cannabis from London and attempted to bring it back to the North West in a van they had hired especially for the deal. The van was stopped on the M6 where Louis Beswick and James Davis were arrested. During the arrest stage of the investigation, further offences were disclosed and more drugs recovered.

“This group has destroyed the lives of vulnerable people in peddling illegal drugs and we will not stop until all members of this drugs ring are behind bars, but today we are happy with the sentences and we can be satisfied in the knowledge that a stop has been put to them causing any more damage to Greater Manchester.”

• Zarif pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis and has been jailed for four years.

• Declan Reilly pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and has been jailed for two years and three months.

• John Reilly pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. He has been jailed for four years and six months.

• Legge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and production of cannabis. He has been jailed for two years.

• Beswick pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and has been jailed for one year.

• Davis will be sentenced at a later date.