Sufy Mohamed, 20, of Stockton, was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, possession of an offensive weapon, conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to supply class C drugs, concerned in the production class C drugs & possession of criminal property. Today he was sentenced to 12 years and 9 months.

Alarsh Said,28, of Liverpool, was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison.

Yousef Muflahi, 26, from Liverpool, was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison.

Jake Mosley, 21, of Stockton, was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to supply class C drugs and being concerned in the production of class C drugs. He was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months.

Adnan Mohamed, 22, of Stockton, was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to supply class C drugs and being concerned in the production of class C drugs. He was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months.

Michael Cornwell, 20, from Stockton, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to supply class C drugs and being concerned in the production of class C drugs and possession of criminal property. He was sentenced to 7 years.

Victoria Bryson, 42, of Stockton, was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to supply class C drugs, being concerned in the production of class C drugs and supply of class A drugs. She was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months.

Cleveland Police’s investigation into these offences, Operation Filton, was a complex investigation into a kidnap, firearms offences and conspiracy to supply drugs.

From a simple police stop check on a suspicious vehicle, officers discovered a kidnap victim after the occupants of the vehicle made off from police. From there the investigation led to the recovery of a 9mm Glock firearm.

When detectives searched portacabins at a local storage unit, officers uncovered a homemade pill factory, along with large amounts of heroin and bulking agent in one container. In another container officers found 3.5 million Etizolam tablets (class C drugs which are of risk to the public) which are valued between £3,417,208 and £6,834,416.

Detective Sergeant Lyndsey Dale, Deputy Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Filton said: “This investigation was long and complex, and undertaken by a small but extremely dedicated team of officers from Cleveland Police.

“The team, who were fully supported by the Crown Prosecution Service and wider prosecution tea throughout their investigation, worked tirelessly over the last two years to secure vital evidence and bring these offenders to justice.

“From a simple vehicle stop, the team safeguarded a victim of kidnap, removed over £3 million worth of drugs from the streets of Cleveland, and protected the public with the recovery of a dangerous firearm, which could have had a devastating impact on our communities had it not been located.

“The dedication of the investigation team ensured that a national drugs conspiracy linked to organised crime, was identified and dismantled. With a focus on protecting the public and preventing the detrimental impact of drugs and violence on the communities of Cleveland, the team should be commended for their hard work.”

Detective Inspector Gez Wraith, of Cleveland Police’s Organised Crime Unit said: “The distribution of controlled drugs and the criminal use of firearms will not be tolerated. This is an outstanding example of Cleveland Police investigating what was a serious and complex case involving serious and organised crime on a national level.

“The investigation team have shown their dedication and resilience around tackling criminality and protecting the communities of Cleveland. I would like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service, other partner agencies and the public for their assistance with this case.”