Jamie Gao murder: Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara sentenced to life in prison

Former detectives Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Jamie Gao.

Rogerson, 75, and McNamara, 57, were found guilty of murdering Gao, 20, during a drug deal at a Padstow storage facility on May 20, 2014 and dumping his body in waters off Cronulla the next day.

In handing down the sentence, Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Bellew said: "The joint criminal enterprise to which each offender was a party was extensive in its planning, brutal in its execution and callous in its aftermath."

"It is clear that the offenders acted with complete disregard for the life of another human being.

"The offending surrounding the deceased's murder was of an exceptionally high degree of seriousness."

Justice Bellew said just because Mr Gao was involved in the drug trade, he did not deserve to be shot and killed.

In sentencing submissions, New South Wales crown prosecutor Christopher Maxwell QC had called for life sentences, saying the men had killed for financial gain and it was no different to a contract killing.

The crown said the offence had been made even more serious because of their intention to "obtain and distribute a drug that is a scourge of our society".

That drug was methylamphetamine, known as "ice".