Three gangsters who kidnapped a small-time heroin dealer found murdered by a riverbank have been jailed for a total of 36 years.

Oguzhin Ozdemir, 26, of Enfield, was discovered by anglers on the banks of the River Lea in South Tottenham, on July 14, 2001 with bullet wounds to the back of the head.

Joseph Morris, 24, Simon Willis, 21, and Francis Osei-Appiah, 23, were brought to justice at the Old Bailey yesterday, after one of the most complex' investigations ever undertaken by officers from the Met's Specialist Crime Directorate.

They each admitted kidnapping Mr Ozdemir but escaped murder charges as police could not establish who shot Mr Ozdemir.

Willis and a fourth man, Junior Cameron, 22, also admitted perverting the course of justice by setting fire to Mr Ozdemir's car.

Passing sentence Judge Giles Forrester said: "This case is an extremely serious one which arises from organised, professional crime linked to the drug trade.

"Gangland crime casts a shadow over all law-abiding citizens who walk the same streets as you.

"Members of the public heard the shots and a member of the public discovered the body. Why should members of the public have to put up with this?"

The court heard Mr Ozdemir was a small-time heroin dealer who owed money to drug barons.

In the early hours of July 14, 2001, he visted Tottenham to meet the men to whom he owed money, then made a series of calls to friends asking for help.

His kidnappers grabbed the phone and threatened to kill Mr Ozdemir unless they received goods or money. When his friends threatened to call the police, his captors hung up.

Mr Ozdemir's bullet-riddled body was found shortly afterwards and his burnt-out car discovered in a Muslim cemetery in Walthamstow.

Morris, of Lowden Road, Edmonton, was sentenced to 12 years, Willis, of Albert Road, Tottenham, ten years, Cameron, of Woodside Road, Wood Green, five years and Osei-Appiah, of no fixed address, received 14 years. He is already serving nine years for kidnapping, blackmail and drugs offences.

Judge Forrester commended the detectives who tracked down the kidnappers, despite having neither witness or forensic evidence.