Ten men and a teenage boy involved in a highly profitable cocaine conspiracy have been jailed for over 65 years between them.

The offenders formed part of a county line known as the "Dave" line, which flooded Southend with the drug from bases in Gravesend and Dartford.

In operation between February and August 2019, it had an annual turnover in excess of £1.5 million before it was brought down by police.

A single phone number was used to interact with customers and the phone received more than 750 calls or texts a day.

After an extensive investigation, 11 offenders were brought to court and sentenced.

The subscription to the handset was registered to a person named "Dave" at an address in Southend but the name of the account holder was believed to be false.

Echo:

Jailed - Raymond Healy, 33, of Grand Drive, Leigh, was sentenced to one year and two months

The phone was instead mostly controlled by Jetmir Cenaj and Aretur Gashi, who based themselves at three different addresses in Gravesend and a further property in Dartford.

Once a message was received on the main number, a different phone would be used to send instructions to offenders based in Southend who were acting as couriers.

More than 85 individual events, including vehicle stops and search warrants, took place over the course of the police investigation.

Evidence was also gathered from reviewing CCTV, traffic cameras and analysing records from more than 25 phones.

Noteworthy incidents included the seizure of 80 wraps of cocaine from an address in Southend on February 27 2019.

Echo:

Sent down - Nathan Ndaba, 20, of Stromness Road, Southend, was sentenced to two years and eight months

And on June 9, 2019, £6,750 in cash was also seized from a car that was stopped by Essex Police on the London-bound A13.

At least six cars were used by couriers to transport the cocaine to Kent and these were either owned or insured by Mohammed Rashid, Timothy Challis or Elidon Haxhaij.

The county line was brought down on August 21 last year following raids across North Kent, Essex and South London.

This included the seizure of half-a-kilo of cocaine from an address in Humber Road, Dartford, which was captured on police bodycam.

Echo:

Jailed - Timothy Challis, 47, of Burdett Avenue, Westcliff, was sentenced to four years and eight months

The sentences were handed down at Woolwich Crown Court.

Apart from Mohammed Rashid, the 17-year-old boy and Sali Veshi who were found guilty at trial, all pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine.

- Jetmir Cenaj, 21, of Spring Vale North, Dartford, was sentenced to 12 years and six months.

- Aretur Gashi, 30, of College Road, Gravesend, was sentenced to 10 years and six months.

- Elidon Haxhaij, 22, of Fulwell Park Avenue, Twickenham, was sentenced to 10 years.

- Mohammed Rashid, 27, of Ingestre Road, Kentish Town, was sentenced to nine years. He previously pleaded not guilty.

- A 17-year-old boy of no fixed address was sentenced to three years. He previously pleaded not guilty.

- Sali Veshi, 26, of Roberts Road, Walthamstow, was sentenced to six years. He previously pleaded not guilty.

- Timothy Challis, 47, of Burdett Avenue, Westcliff, was sentenced to four years and eight months.

- Edison Shahu, 28, of Longbridge Road, Barking, was sentenced to four years and eight months.

- Albes Tocilla, 24, of Harts Lane, Barking, was sentenced to four years and eight months.

- Nathan Ndaba, 20, of Stromness Road, Southend, was sentenced to two years and eight months.

- Raymond Healy, 33, of Grand Drive, Leigh, was sentenced to one year and two months.

Detective Constable William Looker said: "These offenders were involved in a sophisticated plot to supply cocaine across Southend.

"They saw the misery caused from drug abuse as a means to make money and their successful prosecution means that 11 organised and unscrupulous offenders are facing a substantial amount of time in custody."