Cocaine gang members sentenced

(clockwise from top left) Andrew Giaquinto, Luciano Giaquinto, Anesti Koreta, Uzair Kadodia, Dhimitri Gjini, Dashnor Pali

Two brothers who spearheaded a drugs gang have been jailed.

Luciano Giaquinto, 53, and Andrew Giaquinto, 58, both from Gloucester, bought cocaine from an Albanian gang in London to distribute across England.

When officers came to arrest them they were found trying to flush the cocaine down the toilet. Another four gang members were also jailed on Friday.

Gloucestershire Police recovered 3kgs (6.6lbs) of cocaine and more than £150,000 in cash.

Those sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday were:

• Luciano Giaquinto, of Barton Street, Gloucester, who admitted one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine and was jailed for seven years and seven months

• Andrew Giaquinto, of Overbury Road, Gloucester, who admitted one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine and was jailed for seven years and six months

• Uzair Kadodia, 35, of Melbourne Street East, Gloucester, who admitted one count of possession with intent to supply cocaine and one count of money laundering. He was jailed for seven years and 10 months

• Anesti Koreta, 42, of Eupton Road, Edmonton, who admitted one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine and was jailed for five years and 11 months

• Dhimitri Gjini, 41, of Sandringham Road, Golders Green, who admitted one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine and one count of money laundering. He was jailed for 10 years and six months

• Dashnor Pali, 34, of Highfield Road, Tipton, who admitted one count of conspiracy to supply cocaine and was jailed for seven years and four months

Insp Matt Phillips, of Gloucestershire Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: "We will always seek to identify and prosecute those people said to be causing the most significant harm to our communities.

"We are extremely pleased with the court result but our work will not stop there. Our commitment to our communities means that we will do our very best to bring the most serious offenders to justice."