NINE people have been sentenced to a total of 19½ years in prison after a covert police operation targeted drug dealers.

The success of Operation Windle led to a significant disruption to the drug market in the Leigh area, and has been hailed as a great result for Greater Manchester Police and the community.

An intelligence led operation was launched last June which identified the defendants as a well organised crime group supplying heroin and crack cocaine in the area.

It soon became clear that David Edge was supplying class A drugs to Darren Edwards and Stephen Blackledge, who were the main suppliers on the street.

Karl Orrell was also a well-established crack cocaine dealer and Mark Ashcroft also supplied undercover police officers with heroin and crack cocaine on some occasions.

Once police had gathered enough evidence, a series of warrants were carried out and the defendants were all arrested and charged.

David Edge, aged 31, of Sandringham Drive, Leigh, was charged with supplying heroin and crack cocaine and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Darren Edwards, 34, of Bevington Street, Bryn, was charged with 12 offences of supplying heroin and being concerned in the supply of drugs and sentenced to four years.

Stephen Blackledge, 31, of Richmond Drive, Leigh, was charged with seven offences of supplying heroin and two offences of being concerned in the supply of drugs. He was sentenced to three years.

Karl Orrell, 41, of Maple Crescent, Leigh, was charged with six offences of supplying crack cocaine and sentenced to three years.

Mark Ashcroft, 39, of Chisworth Close, Leigh, was charged with three offences of supplying heroin and supplying crack cocaine and received a three years sentence.

Michael Johnson, 31, of Horrocks Street, Tyldesley was charged with supplying crack cocaine and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Adam George King, 23, of Blake Avenue, Atherton, was charged with offering to supply heroin and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Andrea Simm, 32, of Maple Crescent, Leigh, was charged with supplying and being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine. She has been sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Michelle Warburton, 36, of Bevington Street, Bryn, was charged with supplying and being concerned in the supply of heroin and received a 12 months sentence.

Detective Inspector Jon Keeley said: “We are committed to removing drugs, and the people who supply them, from the streets of Greater Manchester, and operations like this highlight the lengths we are willing to go to in order to achieve this.

”Drugs devastate communities and no one should profit from destroying so many lives.

“I hope this case makes other drug dealers out there realise that we are always working to find them and put them were they belong, which is behind bars with the offenders in this case.

”Help from the public is vital and I would urge anyone with any information to speak to police so we can continue to catch the people responsible and remove these dangerous substances from the streets.”