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Friday, March 5th 2010 00:00

The leader of a drugs and guns gang from Bristol, which netted up to £1 million a week has been jailed for at least 8 and a half years.

Back in November, over 20 of the dealers were sentenced to a total of over 100 years at Bristol Crown Court.

Now 46-year-old Craig Rodel, who was a used car salesman, has been told by a judge that he must serve a minimum of 8 and a half years behind bars for his part in the operation.

The operation was finally busted apart when police attending a routine 999 burglary stumbled upon a massive cocaine factory at a flat owned by James Waithe.

The 47-year-old Judo expert acted as the gang's enforcer.  He was sentenced to a minimum of nine years back in December.

When the trial took place last year, one of the gang members told the courts that Rodel, along with Waithe, once tortured a man by putting the lit end of a cigarette in his ear and his hands into an electric toaster.

The gang raked in nearly £50 million pounds in one year, selling cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and MDMA.  Some members also supplied firearms including handguns and rifles to dealers.

The court also heard that Rodel, from Knowle, put a lot of the money into jewellery, watches, diamonds and gold. 

It is thought he also had lots of cars, including a Porsche, two BMWs and a Mercedes, along with a yacht abroad.

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