Abdullah Baybasin, 45, who lived in Edgware, north London, had admitted conspiracy to blackmail and to pervert the course of justice.

He was also convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin at Woolwich Crown Court in February.

The court heard he used a gang to racketeer, import drugs and instil fear into London's Kurdish community.

Baybasin, who was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court, is believed to have been in the international drugs trade for at least two decades.

The Turkish national, who uses a wheelchair after being shot by a rival, extorted hundreds of thousands of pounds from businesses.

His gang specialised in extortion and protection rackets and enforced their will on the Kurdish community by kidnap and death threats.

Police said they routinely carried guns.

Ten other members of his gang have already been convicted and jailed for between five and 16 years for a variety of offences including kidnap and supplying heroin.

His brother, Huseyin, once described as "Europe's Pablo Escobar" is serving life in a Dutch prison after being convicted of drug smuggling.

Det Ch Insp Robin Plummer, of the now-defunct National Crime Squad, said the gang had intimidated people for years.

"Threats were made with firearms, they'd quite often go with armoured machetes, baseball bats and smash premises up," he said.

"People were kidnapped against their will, brought to premises, threats were made."