DRUG-peddling gang members behind a network which sold heroin and cocaine in the city have been jailed for almost 26 years.

Ringleader Abubakar Abasheikh and his army of drug dealers 'preyed' on vulnerable people as they expanded their illegal empire across Oxford and Abingdon.

The group, who hid their stash near a Cowley school, travelled to the area from across the South East to deal two kilos of the 'high purity' class A drugs to desperate addicts.

Police smashed the drugs ring during a series of early morning raids in January this year.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail after the sentencing on Friday, Det Chief Inspector Bruce Riddell said he was pleased the criminals, who had a 'potential client base' of 200 users, were finally off the streets.

But he revealed he was 'frustrated' the gang, dubbed the Somalian J Line, exploited vulnerable drug users in Oxfordshire as pawns in their operation.

Det CI Riddell, of Thames Valley Police's serious and organised crime unit, added: "It's a great result for the community of Oxfordshire. [The gang] are not going to cause a problem in Oxfordshire for a long period of time.

"[The gang's operation] was very open. It was very blasé in the public. They almost felt like they were a bit untouchable."

The senior investigating officer revealed the force treated 'low-end' drug users, manipulated by the group, as victims rather than criminals to gather further intelligence on Abasheikh's enterprise.

He said the force was closing in on county-line networks - involving drugs bosses peddling their stash from outside Oxfordshire using runners - as part of campaign Stronghold, with eyes on almost all groups dealing in the county.

But he insisted drug dealing was not a 'huge problem' in Oxfordshire, adding: "The public should not be worried.

"In the wide scheme of things, this is quite a local issue by one group and the public should be reassured that the police and partner agencies would take a relentless approach to investigating and prosecuting those who are responsible."

Officers began their campaign of 'intense surveillance' on the gang in January last year, before deploying undercover officers seven months later as part of Operation Spires.

'Commander' Abasheikh was at the head of the operation, cutting the drugs, sending out texts to prospective customers, taking calls and arranging pick-up locations.

The 29-year-old would dish out drugs himself and employ others to deal the stash on foot or using his collection of 10 cars, prosecutor Ross Cohen said.

Dealers hid their hoard in an alleyway adjacent to St Gregory the Great Catholic School, as well as a carpark in Reliance Way, East Oxford.

Mastermind Abasheikh told an undercover cop he was plotting to use his ill-gotten gains to run legitimate businesses but was forced to deal himself as he was short of runners.

The criminal, of Manford Cross, Chigwell, Essex, continued to run his empire while remanded in custody at HMP Bullingdon for possessing 200g of cannabis last November.

'Lieutenant' Said Mohammed, who slipped into Abasheikh's role while he was behind bars, was spotted visiting the secret drug stash locations 23 times over four days.

The 26-year-old, of Upper Road, Ilford, Essex, was caught in Abingdon with 42 wraps of cocaine and was seen a number of times at Abasheikh's property in Linkside Avenue, Oxford.

His brother Mohammed Mubidi, 27, of Upper Road, Ilford, peddled drugs from cars driven by co-defendant Cher Busby-Dawson and was also caught at a property where drugs were uncovered with £670 cash.

Khalid Khalid, 24, of Mayfield Road, Dagenham, was involved in the enterprise for about three months, dealing drugs in Abingdon on at least three occasions.

Dahir Sharif, 22, of Brisbane Road, Ilford, supplied the stash to an undercover officer five times and was regularly seen in the vehicles used by the gang.

Azad Akwari, 23, of Pulteney Road, South Woodford, drove Mohammed around a number of times to deal drugs and was spotted in the alleyway near the stash.

Drug addicts Busby-Dawson, of Larkhill Road, Abingdon, and Kaye Alderson, 34, of Henry Taunt Close, Oxford, were preyed upon by the gang, who handed them drugs to feed their habits in exchange for driving the dealers around the county.

Akwari admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine between February 2 and March 4, 2016.

The other seven criminals admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine between January, 26, 2016, and January 10, 2017.

Abasheikh, who was jailed for eight years and eight months, also admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply and without authority possess inside a prison a mobile phone in February.

Mohammed was jailed for six years and eight months, Mubidi was sentenced to three years in jail, Khalid was handed a three-and-a-half-year jail term, Sharif was jailed for two years and four months, while Akwari was given an 18-month sentence.

Busby-Dawson, 43, was handed an 16-month sentence, suspended for two years, while Alderson was given a 12-month sentence, also suspended for two years.

Both were made subject to a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement and a 30-day activity requirement.