Two men have been jailed for a total of eight years and nine months after pleading guilty to supplying class A drugs in Wiltshire.

Jake McVicar, aged 28, from Camden, was sentenced to six years and three months after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and breaching an ASBO.

Joshua Davis, aged 33, of Long Close, Chippenham, was sentenced to 30 months for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. Both appeared at Winchester Crown Court on Monday 14 May.

The pair were initially arrested on 22 September 2016 after officers carried out a warrant at an address in Colston Road, Devizes.

Inside the address, a vulnerable local drug user was found alongside McVicar and Davis, who had taken over the premises to deal drugs. When detained, Davis threw a number of items out of the window including several phones, scales and drug wrapping.

McVicar was found with further wraps of Class A drugs on him when searched in custody.

Further drugs paraphernalia, phones and cash were found throughout the house and when additional enquiries were carried out on the phones, numerous contacts for class A drug users were found.

Then on 19 October 2016, officers stopped a Ford Transit in Melksham High Street. McVicar was the front seat passenger and was found in possession of two mobile phones. Cannabis cultivation equipment was located inside the vehicle. Officers then attended an address in the town where the vehicle had previously been spotted and conducted a search. Davis was found inside the house and was detained. Further phones were seized which contained evidence of class A drug dealing.

McVicar was also arrested as part of Operation Crosslands – an operation held in Salisbury last summer targeting class A drug supply in the city.

PC Joe Shanklin, of the South Dedicated Crime Team, said: “When they were arrested back in September 2016, both McVicar and Davis were abusive to officers and failed to comply – Davis had to be pulled inside from the window as he attempted to dispose of numerous drugs paraphernalia and cash.

“Davis was basically being controlled by McVicar, who would essentially travel to wherever there was ‘work’, taking advantage of vulnerable drug addicts within our communities and using their homes as bases to deal drugs – this is known as cuckooing.

“This sentencing is the final chapter in Operation Crosslands - I am satisfied with the sentences handed out and I am pleased that we have been able to disrupt this line of supply, preventing class A drugs from reaching our streets.

“I hope these prison sentences send out a strong message that anyone planning on coming to our county to deal drugs will be targeted, disrupted and put before the courts.”

To report drug activity, call 101.