Paulo Poeira was one of three men sentenced at the Old Bailey today

A Neasden man has been jailed for his role in a drug dealing network which was caught in possession of around �1 million of cocaine.

Paulo Poeira, 29, of The Rise, was sentenced to three years in jail today (Thursday) after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine at the Old Bailey.

Poeira was one of three men nabbed by police following an operation by police which recovered around six kilos of cocaine.

The trio first came to police notice when Poeira was caught with �5,000 of cocaine in his car following a meeting John Emenneh, 37, from Plumstead, in a Hanger Lane car park in September last year.

The following month, Emenneh raised suspicions further when he was unable to account for �40,000 which was found on him after a trip to Birmingham.

He claimed the money was the proceeds of a second-hand electrical goods business he ran in Senegal.

Subsequent enquires revealed Emenneh had in excess of �500,000 going through his accounts in the last six months of 2011.

He was stopped by police leaving an address in Woolwich a month later and found to be carrying a significant amount of cocaine.

Officers then searched the building and uncovered �2,000 in cash, cocaine, drug packaging and cutting agents – powder used to bulk out the drugs – with a street value of around �1 million.

Paul Arinzechi, 42, from Plumstead, was also found at the address and tried to escape.

Det Con Gavin Collins, Specialist Crime and Operations Central Task Force, said: “In undertaking this operation, the Met’s Central Task Force has worked tirelessly with local police in and around London to dismantle a group of criminals involved in supplying cocaine through London, fuelling serious youth violence.

“Their prison sentences should go some way in reassuring the public that we are dedicated to removing drugs and those supplying them from the streets of the capital, including targeting their financial assets.”

Emenneh and Arinzechi were sentenced to 10 and 6 years respectively after admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine.