A multi-million pound international drug smuggling ring was being operated by a convicted heroin trafficker from his prison cell in Kent.

Teddy Bright, 36, used a mobile phone from his cell at HMP Rochester to contact other members of the gang who imported tens of millions of pounds worth of heroin into the country.

Bright, who is from Brixton, was sentenced to 12 years in prison with 10 other members of the gang also jailed, totaling more than 114 years between them.

The sentences are the culmination of an operation that saw detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service's Central Task Force arrest both the importation gang and the gang supplying the drugs across London and the South East.

More than 48kgs heroin with a street value in excess of £20 million was seized during the operation.

Detectives were able to show that Bright was orchestrating the supply of heroin from his cell at HMP Rochester where he was serving an eight year sentence for possession with intent to supply 14 kilos of heroin, having been convicted in September 2013.

"Teddy Bright, a convicted heroin trafficker, felt safe to continue distributing heroin supplied by Turkish organised crime groups onto the streets of South London from his prison cell" - DS Colin Douglas

DS Colin Douglas of the Met's Central Task Force, said: "Teddy Bright, a convicted heroin trafficker, felt safe to continue distributing heroin supplied by Turkish organised crime groups onto the streets of South London from his prison cell."

He added: "The heroin trade is a primary cause of acquisitive crime, gang violence and death in London which has been made a safer place following the conviction and imprisonment of these individuals.

"In the days leading up to their arrest Arif Bullici, the principal conspirator, travelled to Cyprus where he orchestrated the importation of substantial quantities of heroin which he planned to distribute onto the streets of London at a vast profit."

"This investigation clearly shows the role that Bullici, Bright and others played in importing, collecting, transporting, storing and distributing multi-kilos of Class A Drugs.

"The sentences clearly reflect those roles and the danger they posed to society. My officers are rightly proud to have achieved these convictions and with the sentences imposed by the judiciary."

Bullici, 56, from Chingford was jailed for 25 years at Woolwich Crown Court on June 19, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin.

The last member of the gang to be sentenced was Karaman Saglam, 44, from Hertfordshire, who was given five years and four months at the Inner London Crown Court on Friday, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin.

Previously sentenced were Bilal Bildik, 61, from Enfield, for 14 years; Emra Kozmaz, 40, from Islington for 11 years; Diyar Khalid, 39, from Birmingham, for 13 years; Kovan Kochar, 25, from Birmingham, for 10 years; and Gijsbertus Den-Hertog, 49, of no fixed UK address, for 10 years.

Cosmina Smetanca, 20, from Haringey, was sentenced to eight years in jail; Bowy Bitshuangu-Beby, 22, from Brixton, for two years and four months; and Charley Bitshuangu, 28, from Brixton, for four years.

A twelfth person, Salman Male, 30, from Birmingham was found not guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin.