Six people sentenced after county lines disbanded in the West Country
Avon and Somerset Police carried out five simultaneous warrants in Bath and Keynsham last October
Six people have been sentenced after officers dismantled a county lines drug network across the West Country.
They were arrested during a special police operation back in October which saw cocaine, knives, and thousands of pounds in cash seized at properties in Bath and Keynsham.
Officers say their work last year followed a complex investigation, adding the offenders, between 17 and 38 years old, were influenced by the false and harmful 'kudos' of dealing class A drugs for cash.
During County Lines Intensification Week, five simultaneous warrants were carried out at properties in Bath and Keynsham which saw quantities of heroin and crack cocaine with an estimated street value in excess of £38,000, as well as large knives and an estimated £15,000 in cash, seized by police.
The investigation has now resulted in six people being sentenced.
In the most recent sentencing on Tuesday (September 19), the 18-year-old defendant - Courtney Tanner-Mulholland from Keynsham was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, two counts of being in possession of criminal property and one count of dangerous driving.
Oliver Lynes
Five others have also been sentenced in recent months, after admitting charges of being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.
They were:
- 19-year-old Jamaal Newman from Hercules Way in Keynsham - sentenced to 2 years 6 months in a young offenders' detention centre
- 20-year-old Lubabalo Hale of no fixed address - sentenced to 3 years behind bars
- 20-year-old Oliver Lynes from Beckford Gardens in Bathwick - sentenced to 2 years in prison, suspended for 2 years. He was also given a curfew, ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and to complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity order
- 38-year-old Sylvia Bearman from Shaws Way in Twerton - sentenced to 18 months behind bars, suspended for 18 months, and was also handed a nine-month rehabilitation order
- 17-year-old, who can not be named for legal reasons - sentenced to two years detention order in a young offenders' detention centre
Newman, Hale and Lynes had also admitted an offence of being in possession of criminal property, while the 17-year-old admitted two counts of the same offence.
Investigating officer, PC James Abbott from the County Lines Drugs team, said: "These are predominantly young people with their lives ahead of them, who’ve been influenced by the false and harmful ‘kudos’ of dealing class A drugs for cash.
"Drugs have a devastating impact on our communities, and negatively impact people in many ways including addiction and as victims of crimes linked to this illicit trade. We’ll continue working hard to gather and act on intelligence, so we can work with the public to make our neighbourhoods a hostile place for these networks to operate in.”
Avon and Somerset Police often work in partnership with other forces in the UK in a bid to dismantle and disrupt criminal gangs running drugs into local towns and villages, close lines down and bring those behind this criminality to justice.
Officers say county line gangs often recruit children, young people, and vulnerable adults to move and store drugs and money, often exposing them to a world of coercion, intimidation, violence and weapons.
They add dealers may also take over the home of a vulnerable person as a base for drug dealing.
You can report any incidents on their website.
You can also visit the Fearless site of the charity Crimestoppers to provide information anonymously.
You can read more about county lines drugs gangs - and how you can find support - on the National Crime Agency website.
You can find out more about Avon and Somerset Police's work during County Lines Intensification Week on their website.