THREE men involved in "premier league" drugs dealing were today starting prison sentences totalling 25 years -- and another was being hunted by police.

So much money was made from a drugs corner shop in Nelson that profits were used to buy flash cars, journeys abroad, Armani suits and even used towards buying Harle Syke sub post office for money laundering.

"Mastermind" Azizul Wahab, 31, of Clive Street, Burnley, who became so arrogant that he even teased police officers about his drugs world name Anton, was sentenced to 12 years for conspiracy to supply heroin by Judge Edward Slinger at Preston Crown Court.

He was also sentenced to seven years to run concurrently for money laundering.

Joseph Cromer, 29, of Cleethorpes, who travelled from the east coast to East Lancashire to buy heroin for his own use and for supply, was sentenced to nine years for conspiracy to supply heroin.

Both were found guilty after a seven week trial.

"Messenger boy" Roy Crossley, 21, of Albion Street, Nelson, who earlier pleaded guilty to the same offence was sentenced to four years. A fourth man, Anthony Dewhurst, 28, of Giles Street, Nelson, had also previously pleaded guilty and been allowed bail.

He didn't turn up at the Crown Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He was said to have run the drugs retail shop in Leeds Road, Nelson, and later from an address in Russell Street, also in Nelson. The court heard that queues of people, some with little children, would turn up at the shop for wraps of heroin.

Police kept video observation from a secret location for months.

Judge Slinger told the three men: "You set up to run a sophisticated operation in supplying heroin. If you are involved in the premier league with premier league rewards there are premier league risks and premier league sentences."

He added: "The court has been shown pictures of pathetic people (visiting the shop). The court saw a child holding the hand of its mother, pathetic young people buying from the premises."

On 73 days nearly 1,500 went to the front of the shop and in 42 days 420 people visited the back of the premises where a special hatch had been built so that drugs could be handed out.

On 14 days, 400 people were seen to visit Russell Street, the court heard.

"These were major retail premises. Number 209 Leeds Road was converted specifically for that purposes. It is clear substantial amounts of heroin were being supplied and on a bulk basis when Cromer became involved in the conspiracy."

Judge Slinger said the damage done to society was well known involving lives wrecked and crime fuelled by the need to obtain money to buy heroin. "The structure of our society is most at risk from operations by people like you. "Society must be protected as far as it is in the power of the courts to do so," he added.

Nigel Shepherd QC, defending Wahab, said he was not the mastermind behind the operation as suggested but a lieutenant of someone more intelligent, an assistant to someone higher up.

Mark Stuart, defending Crossley, said that in January, 1998, his six month old son had died in his arms. After that he suffered from depression. He split up with his girlfriend who blamed him to a large extent for the death of the child and he again sought Dewhurst's help and friendship.

Other cases are pending in relation to alleged money laundering of the profits made in the drug dealing.

Judge Slinger said the drugs operation was broken thanks to a complex and dedicated police operation.