THE 84 years handed down to a gang dealing in heroin and cocaine is richly deserved.

Judge Ian Pringle is correct when he described these class A drugs, including the crack form of cocaine, as an absolute scourge on our communities.

Police seized drugs with a potential street value of £24m as well as £46,000 cash, three diamonds, two watches worth £11,000, hydraulic presses scales, and large quantities of “cutting agents”.

This was a serious drug dealing operation.

It is heartening our courts have handed down a serious sentence to reflect that.