16 sentenced after south-east England ‘county lines’ drug sting
A fascinating if un-nerving introduction to the scary phenomenon of the county lines drug trade. This article tells us:
County lines is a drug distribution system in which criminal networks funnel hard drugs from cities to towns and rural regions across the country.
The police investigation first focused on phone lines, sifting through hundreds of thousands of pages of call data. With this information, they were able to identify the individuals involved.
Of the 16 convicted, 10 pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. They were also charged with one count of participating in an organised crime group, which would remain on file.
Those found guilty included line holders, who managed the lines from London and directed younger members of the gang to “cuckoo” addresses in the south-east where they would conduct the sale of drugs. These properties often belonged to local drug users. This method of operation was typical of county lines, the Met said.
While there has been recent focus on children being used to transport drugs across counties, the investigation did not find any exploited young people connected to the gang. The police did, however, identify a number of vulnerable adults.
The phone lines operated by the gang each had a different name. The National Crime Agency estimates that one county lines phone can generate £800,000 a year.
Between August and November 2018, officers identified the gang were running five county lines: the Si, which ran from London into Bognor Regis in Sussex; the AJ, which operated in towns and villages on the borders of Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey; the Pepsi line, which ran between London and Medway in Kent; the Jeezy, which ran between London and Medway; and a local line that was responsible for the sale of crack cocaine and heroin in south London.