EIGHT people who sold drugs to undercover police officers posing as addicts were jailed yesterday for a total of 32 years and two months.

A ninth man who helped organise ecstasy deals for officers escaped jail and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service.

Prosecuting at Bolton Crown Court, Mr David Friesner said the police crackdown, codenamed Operation Venice, led to the arrest of 29 people.

The court was told that undercover officers got to know many of them after visiting the Waggon and Horses pub in Walmersley Road, Bury. They became friendly with people they saw organising and selling drugs.

The longest sentence of six years was handed down to 33-year-old Wayne Howarth. The court heard that police bought drugs from Howarth and later found heroin, amphetamines and £435 cash in a wallet hidden in duvet when they raided his home in Whitelegg Street, Bury.

Two other men received five years each for their part in different deals carried out with undercover officers. Anthony McVay, of Clifton Street, Bury, was jailed for five years for three offences of supplying ecstasy and possessing a prohibited weapon -- a CS gas cannister. McVay was caught after he sold 1,001 ecstasy tablets for £1,750.

Glenroy Bailey, 30, of Algernon Street, Hindley, also received five years jail after a police raid at his home uncovered large quantities of drugs. Police also found a total of £3,749 in cash, two mobile phones and electronic scales.

Robert Marsden, 35, of Percy Street, Bury, was jailed for a total of four years and three months on five charges of supplying heroin.

Philip James Howarth, 33, of Cedar Street, Heywood, unknowingly met undercover police officers in Heywood Baths car park to sell them heroin. He received a four-year jail term.

Percival White, 31, of East Street, Bury, was jailed for three years and nine months for supplying cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis oil.

Christopher Pollard and Terence Tetlow were charged with supplying ecstasy and being concerned in the supply of ecstasy.

Tetlow, 20, of Kingfisher Drive, Bury, was sent to a Young Offenders Instution for two years and Pollard of Plover Drive, Bury, for two years with two months extra for being in breach of a conditional discharge.

Peter Lee Birchall, 21, of Eldon Street, Bury, was sentenced to 200 hours community service with £200 prosecution costs for offering to supply ecstasy and being concerned in the supply of ecstasy.