County Lines shut down in Norfolk
Three have been put out of business
A further three County Lines have been shut down by police in Norfolk during a week of action.
The Norfolk Police County Lines Team, along with Neighbourhood Policing Teams across the county and the British Transport Police, took part in a National Intensification Week between Monday 14 September and Friday 18 September 2020.
The week is run jointly by the National Police Chief’s Council and the National Crime Agency and it’s focused on disrupting the activities of those involved in County Lines through a number of policing tactics.
County Lines is the name given to a drug dealing model which involves criminals using phone lines to facilitate the supply of Class A drugs, normally between a major city and another county. The line holder often exploits young people and children to move the drugs between counties, or coerce vulnerable adults by taking over their addresses from where they deal drugs - this is known as cuckooing.
During the intensification week, officers in Norfolk arrested 19 people in relation to drug offences which resulted in three County Lines being shut down permanently.
Nine people have since been charged and remanded for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. They are:
Claudio Martins, aged 22 and of Dene Side in Great Yarmouth. He was arrested in Dene Side in Great Yarmouth on Monday 14 September.
Kevin Yoro, aged 20 and from the London area. He was arrested in Shorncliffe Avenue in Norwich on Tuesday 15 September.
Sean Dauswero, aged 18 and from the London area. He was arrested in Shorncliffe Avenue in Norwich on Tuesday 15 September.
Susan Lister, aged 47 and of Scarlett Road in Norwich. She was arrested in Scarlett Road on Wednesday 16 September.
Minkael Mouhamed, aged 18 and from the London area. He was arrested in Scarlett Road on Wednesday 16 September.
A 16-year-old boy from the London area. He was arrested in Scarlett Road on Wednesday 16 September.
Dillon Garcia, aged 19 and of Reepham Road in Norwich. He was arrested in Reepham Road on Thursday 17 September.
Yacoob Piperdy, aged 19 and from the London area. He was arrested at Norwich Railway Station on Thursday 17 September.
Darius Delaney, aged 19 and from the London area. He was arrested at Norwich Railway Station on Thursday 17 September.
Meanwhile ten people arrested in relation to drug offences during the week and have been released under investigation whilst enquiries are ongoing:
Two men were arrested in Columbia Way in King’s Lynn.
A man was arrested after officers stopped his car in Norwich.
Two teenage boys were arrested in Pointersfied in Norwich.
A man was arrested in Netherwood Green in Norwich.
A man was arrested in Magnolia Green in Gorleston.
Two men and a teenage boy were arrested in Aspley Road in Great Yarmouth.
Along with the arrests, officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Teams in Norwich worked alongside housing officers and Change Grow Live to conduct safeguarding visits to addresses occupied by adults vulnerable to coercion and cuckooing.
Inspector Robin Windsor-Waite, County Lines Team lead for Norfolk Constabulary, said:
"Our action last week demonstrates that Norfolk Police is intent on continuing to disrupt and stop County Lines in Norfolk in order to protect young people from exploitation, as well as preventing the violent crime and anti-social behavior that is associated with it.
"Our focus very much remains on working with the Metropolitan Police targeting County Lines at their source under Operation Orochi and shut them down permanently."
Operation Orochi focuses on analysing the data of mobile phones used to buy and sell crack cocaine and heroin. Officers from the team in Norfolk will share this intelligence with a dedicated team in the Met who will then investigate to identify the line holder and their location. Since Op Orochi was established in November 2019, Norfolk Police have shut down 30 County Lines.
Inspector Windsor-Waite added: