A FAMILY which peddled heroin and crack cocaine has been jailed for a total of 37 years after their empire was smashed by police. Ringleaders and brothers Simon, 32, and Neverton Burte, 31, both of Winchelsea Road, Stonebridge, were sentenced to seven a

A FAMILY which peddled heroin and crack cocaine has been jailed for a total of 37 years after their empire was smashed by police.

Ringleaders and brothers Simon, 32, and Neverton Burte, 31, both of Winchelsea Road, Stonebridge, were sentenced to seven and 10 years respectively after they sold the class A drugs from their flat.

Simon pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin and two counts of concealing, disguising and converting criminal property during the trial at Harrow Crown Court.

Neverton was found guilty of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and one count of concealing, disguising, converting criminal property.

Half-brother Richard Rhoden, 23, also of Winchelsea Road, was jailed for five years and four months in jail for his part in the business after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Mother to all three Maria Rhoden, 49, of Tubbs Road, Harlesden, was sentenced to four years after she was found to be storing large quantities of the drugs in the house she lived with her 14-year-old son.

She was found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Another half-brother, Levi Burte, 23, of Chatsworth Road, Willesden, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cannabis and one count of concealing, disguising and converting criminal property.

He was also found guilty of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to six years in jail.

Melverton Burte, 48, of Fortune Gate Road, Harlesden, a convicted rapist, drug addict and father to Levi, Simon and Neverton, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and possession with intent to supply cannabis and was jailed for five years.

The family business was shut down by Brent Police following months of surveillance work as part of Operation Kourjima, which targeted gun and drug crime on the Stonebridge Estate.

None of the family members were convicted of firearms offences after a loaded handgun was found stashed with drugs and ammunition.

No forensic link to any of those on trial could be found.

All were sentence by Judge Nic Madge at Harrow Crown Court.

For full details turn to page four.

alex.wellman@archant.co.uk