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Four members of a criminal group that ran a “highly profitable” operation selling controlled drugs and prescription medicines online have been sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

The four were convicted last November following an investigation by the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit, which linked them to almost two million doses of drugs including diazepam, codeine, lorazepam and zopiclone.

Everton Reynolds (59) was jailed for five years and Paul Billingham (56) for four years. Junior Ranger (45) received a two-year custodial sentence suspended for 18 months, while Anita Rama (48) received concurrent sentences of 33 months and 14 months.

The court heard they had “prioritised profit over patient safety and exposed members of the public to potentially serious health risks,” said the MHRA.

MHRA chief safety officer Alison Cave commented: “Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of these offences and the significant threat to public safety.

“This was a sophisticated and highly profitable scheme that showed a complete disregard for patient safety.”

Gayle Ramsay of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “These four defendants showed absolute disregard for the health consequences of selling unauthorised medicines and prescription only drugs without the proper professional medical consultation and authorisation to do so.

“The defendants would have no understanding as to the safety of these medicines and the impact of using them for potential buyers.

“The sale of any form of illegal drugs can have devastating consequences for the public and local communities.”

Related: Prison sentences for Bolton steroid gang after MHRA seizes 130k doses