THREE men who made a £1.4m drug deal at an M25 service station have been sentenced to a total of 33 years in jail.

Brothers Paul and Barry Channer were seen by Met Police officers receiving a suitcase packed with 28kg of high-purity heroin from a Polish national at South Mimms services last July.

The brothers were stopped by armed officers on the Blackwall Tunnel Northern Approach soon afterwards and found with £1.4m worth of heroin thought to be destined for the capital's streets.

A suitcase in the back of Barry's black Lexus contained 28 heroin parcels wrapped in brown tape.

Unemployed Paul Channer, aged 47, of Vernham Road, Woolwich, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin at Snaresbrook Crown Court and was sentenced to 14 years.

News Shopper: Paul Channer, aged 47

Barry Channer, aged 40, a lighting engineer, of Azof Street, Greenwich, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and was sentenced to eight years.

Met investigating officer Detective Inspector Sarah Staff said: "The hugely damaging effects of heroin on society are well documented and it is only right that those willing to profit from its supply face a lengthy prison sentence.

News Shopper: Police found 28 wraps of heroin in a suitcase

"This was a long-term proactive operation which has resulted in the dismantling of an organised criminal network."

Waldemar Nowakowski, aged 30, from Canning Town in east London, was arrested earlier this year. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.