A taxi manager who was part of one of the UK's biggest drug trafficking gangs has been jailed for 10 years.

The £100m cocaine smuggling ring was smashed in February 2008 when hundreds of officers swooped on homes and businesses in simultaneous dawn raids in the capital and the home counties.

A total of 33 men were convicted as part of Operation Eaglewood including Jean-Claude Frigieri, 56, of Buckingham Avenue, West Molesey, who was jailed for money laundering.

Also among them was hero firefighter Simon Ford, 41, who won a bravery award for leading victims to safety in the aftermath of one of the 7/7 bombings in Tavistock Square.

Ford, who was found by police at his Chertsey flat dividing up cocaine ready for distribution, pleaded guilty to money laundering and drugs offences and was jailed for 14 years.

At the head of the gang was 47-year-old Eyad Iktilat, the criminal mastermind who ran the drug smuggling ring out of a legitimate taxi repair firm in west London, called Royal Oak Taxis.

Criminals would deliver sterling banknotes to Royal Oak Taxis in exchange for cocaine, and the gang would launder the money through Frigieri who used his position as manager of a Paddington bureau de change to convert the drug money.

Reporting restrictions were put in place while court proceedings took place and only today, after the final sentencing took place, can the gang's operation be revealed.

Iktilat was also jailed for 30 years after being convicted of money laundering, conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis and possession of cocaine.

The final member of the gang, Anwar Laraba, aged 39, of Greville Place, St John's Wood, was sentenced to four years and eight months imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court today.

During the raids, more than 100kg of cocaine, a substantial amount of cash and several firearms were seized.

Officers even used a JCB digger to get through the garden wall of one property.

Detective Superintendent Steve Richardson, from the Met, said: “These criminals had been living the lives of wealthy businessmen through their criminal activity. The lives they are leading now could not be more different.

“The link between drugs and violence has been well made and can ultimately be traced to violence and harm in London's boroughs. Operation Eaglewood has prevented these individuals from contributing to that.”