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More than 50 drugdealers convicted over 'county lines' operations from London to provincial towns so far this year

Akeem Abiola was jailed for three years in June over a county lines operation
Akeem Abiola was jailed for three years in June over a county lines operation

More than 50 dealers have been convicted of running “county lines” drugs operations from London to provincial towns and cities so far this year, prosecutors revealed today.

Five gang members face sentencing today for running a network supplying Class A crack cocaine and heroin from Hackney to Peterborough and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.

They are among 49 people across 10 class A drugs networks in London who have either admitted or been found guilty of conspiracy to supply offences since January. Several more gang members from London have been arrested and convicted by county forces.

In June, Akeem Abiola, 20, of Hackney, was jailed at Basildon crown court after admitting two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Officials say the convictions reflect the commitment to dismantle the networks. More than 1,000 county line gangs are thought to operate in Britain, with nearly 300 from London. In total they generate an estimated £1.8 billion annual profit.

Samuel Ayowera, 19, was one of five facing sentencing on Thursday
Samuel Ayowera, 19, was one of five facing sentencing on Thursday

Gangs get calls from customers in seaside or county towns and use teenage couriers to ferry the drugs. The gangs use violence and intimidation, often taking over a vulnerable person’s home to store and sell drugs.

Recent prosecutions include those of operations in Swansea, Brighton, Hastings, Oxford and Norwich.

Police found a piece of cardboard detailing around £10,600 worth of drug dealing activity over six days (CPS)
Police found a piece of cardboard detailing around £10,600 worth of drug dealing activity over six days (CPS)

Today five Hackney-based dealers who marketed and sold Class A drugs in Peterborough and Huntingdon were due to be sentenced at Snaresbrook crown court. Four admitted their roles and one was found guilty after trial. They used phone aliases ‘Ricki’ and ‘TJ’ to supply the lines. Police found a piece of cardboard detailing around £10,600 worth of drug dealing activity over six days.

Jodeci Ofulue, 24, was arrested after leaving a Peterborough property in November 2017 and approaching an abandoned vehicle. When police tried to stop him he attempted to run away, dropping car keys and the phone which controlled the ‘Ricki’ drugs line. Police found £13,370 worth of crack cocaine and heroin, scales and used latex gloves in the car. Ofulue later pleaded guilty.

Jodeci Ofulue, 24, also faced sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court (CPS)
Jodeci Ofulue, 24, also faced sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court (CPS)

Rashayne Hunter, 20, who was convicted after a trial, often visited the Peterborough address before November 2. Sherif Isiaka, 19, helped organise “reloads” — fresh supplies of heroin to be delivered to a Huntingdon address. Samuel Ayowera, 19, was linked through his role “topping up” phone credit for one of the drug lines.

Rashayne Hunter, 20, was also convicted after a trial
Rashayne Hunter, 20, was also convicted after a trial

A 17-year-old street dealer was found with 286 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin, worth around £3,000, in his pockets when police raided another home in Huntingdon last November.

Elaine Cousins, senior crown prosecutor, said: “The leaders made attempts to keep the dealing at arm’s length. But the prosecution was able to link each of the gang members to the dealing.”

Malcolm McHaffie, the deputy chief crown prosecutor overseeing county lines prosecutions for CPS London North, said: “These convictions will have had a significant impact on gangs who have profited from others’ misery.”