A “DANGEROUS” drugs trio have been jailed for a total of more than 26 years.

Aldo Oringa led the drugs empire worth more than £100,000 from London into Sussex.

With three accomplices he sold cocaine across the county.

The 33-year-old tried to flee from police in Eastbourne by jumping out of a window.

Police linked him into the gang when they spotted two cars in Bolney and Horsham in July 2017.

Inside they found 1.25 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated value of up to £130,000.

Elliot Best, 21, Donna Faulkner, 48, and Ingrid Edwards, 28, were arrested.

They all had a telephone number in common, belonging to Oringa.

Police said they found another kilogram of cocaine inside the Eastbourne property, which Oringa was hurriedly trying to dispose of.

The Argus:

He had tried to deflect blame by paying someone else to claim the drugs belonged to them.

But a jury found him guilty of possessing cocaine with intent to supply and perverting the course of justice in March this year.

Oringa, Best and Faulkner then appeared before Hove Crown Court for a second trial in April. The trio were found guilty.

Edwards failed to appear and is currently wanted on warrant.

Judge David Rennie said the evidence against the trio was “overwhelming” and said the dealing “destroyed lives”.

He jailed Oringa, of Romsey Road, Winchester, for 19 years and said he was the man with the leading role in the gang.

Meanwhile Best, of Windsor Drive, Rustington, was jailed for three years for conspiracy to supply cocaine, while Faulkner, of Bluebell Drive, Littlehampton, was jailed for four years for the same charge.

After the case Detective Inspector Alan Pack said: “The sentence issued to the three defendants has been very much welcomed and has seen justice served.

“We are dedicated to disrupting organised crime groups and those who try to distribute dangerous drugs across our communities.”