A major police investigation in to a county lines operation has resulted in multilpe offenders being jailed.
The investigation was strated after police unravelled a County Lines drug conspiracy following a routine car stop in Nottinghamshire.
Police pulled over the vehicle on 2nd June 2022 as it headed out of Nottinghamshire on the A46 and discovered it was carrying packages full of heroin and cocaine.
Officers from Nottinghamshire Police's dedicated County Lines team began a major investigation which revealed a County Line was running from Nottingham to various areas in neighbouring Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.
Drugs were being sold in bulk using a mobile phone line and vulnerable people and children as young as 13 were being exploited to act as ‘runners’ to transport them within and across county borders.
Detectives were able to prove the involvement of multiple offenders through CCTV footage and mobile phone downloads.
They were revealed to be in regular contact with each other to facilitate the supply of drugs and allocate the runners.
Four men found inside the car following the initial stop, Jaxon Hardwick, Ellis Johnson, Charlie Scurr and Alan Reynolds, were arrested at the scene.
Johnson attempted to flee carrying a parcel containing more than 100 wraps of Class A drugs.
While he was being detained, Hardwick and Scurr attempted to throw two other packages full of drugs in a nearby bin.
Analysis of mobile phones seized from all four revealed evidence of a drugs conspiracy involving two County Lines working in unison.
Hardwick sent out bulk messages advertising the sale of Class A drugs to users in Lincoln.
A second line arranged the transport of ‘runners’ from Nottingham to Lincoln carrying the drugs.
Keanan Frazer was identified as a key contact of Scurr and in regular contact with other members of the gang.
A raid on Frazer’s home in February 2023 discovered a cryptocurrency package, drug dealing equipment, knives, an extendable baton, designer clothing and bundles of cash.
Analysis of his phone revealed he had been recruiting children to transport drugs.
A further breakthrough was achieved when officers in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, were called with concerns about a teenage boy who had been reported missing and his image circulated on social media.
The boy was spotted by a member of the public in a supermarket with a local drug user, Tom Woodworth.
Officers attended Woodworth’s home in Melton and the boy was found to be locked inside the property.
Some of the offenders brought to justice over the county lines operation. Photo: Nottinghamshire Police
When officers analysed the boy’s mobile phone they found messages received from the County Line.
Officers discovered drugs, weapons, cash and high-value items when they carried out further raids on properties in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.
A total of nine offenders have now been sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court by Judge Mark Watson after being convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Detective Constable Charlie Sylvester, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This was a complex investigation which began back in the summer of 2022 and involved multiple police teams and many hours of painstaking detective work.
As so often with these conspiracies, some of the individuals involved were also being exploited themselves by those higher up the chain.
There was evidence, however, that several members of this gang were living lavish lifestyles funded by the misery of others.
This gang was a typical County Line business model, with drug dealers exploiting vulnerable young people to do their dirty work while they made large profits.
Children as young as 13 were encouraged to travel to places some distance away, and which they did not know, to transport and sell drugs.
It exposed them to multiple dangers which children should never be subjected to.
The harm groups like this cause to communities is why it is a priority for the force to target and disrupt those believed to be involved.
Our proactive County Lines team, supported by other Force teams and resources, continues to tackle this problem all year round and it’s testament to the hard work, dedication, and teamwork shown by officers that we are able to shut down County Lines operations such as this one.
We also worked closely during this investigation with our colleagues in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.
The force continues to do everything in its power to safeguard our communities and vulnerable young people against organised drug crime and put dealers in the dock.”
CCTV shows two of the offenders trying to hide the drugs in a bin. Video: Nottinghamshire Police/Youtube
Those sentenced were:
Tom Woodworth aged 38 of Melton who was described in court as a ‘hapless addict’ but had knowledge of the scale of the enterprise. The judge said he was fully aware young people were being exploited. He was jailed for four years and three months.
Alan Reynolds, aged 44, of Longwill Avenue, Melton Mowbray – described as a ‘paid driver’ who transported dealers and had some knowledge of the overall conspiracy but a limited role. He was jailed for two years, suspended for two years.
Keanan Frazer, aged 23 – described by the judge as playing a leading role, organising the buying and selling of drugs on a commercial scale. He had considerable influence on other people within the enterprise and knew he was exploiting children as young as 13 by using them as runners. He was also convicted of arranging the travel of another person with a view to exploitation and was jailed for a total of 12 years.
Jaxon Hardwick, aged 23 - had control of one of the lines and was described as ‘heavily invested’ in the enterprise. He was jailed for four years and four months.
Charlie Scurr, aged 21 – described in court as having an operational role, travelling as a dealer and aware of the scale of the conspiracy. He was jailed for two years and six months.
Kyron MacGregor, aged 19 – a street dealer with operational knowledge of the enterprise.
He was jailed for three years and nine months. He was also convicted of affray after a fight involving a group armed with weapons in Clifton, Nottingham, on 8 May 2022 and possession of a knife from January this year when he ran from police in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.
Leila Barnes, aged 26 – allowed dealers to stay at her Lincoln home and use the flat to store drugs. The judge said she was a ‘willing participant’ who was aware children were being used as runners and had not been threatened or ‘cuckooed’. She was jailed for a three years.
Ellis Johnson, aged 20 - jailed for two years and two months on Friday (14th June). Attempted to flee the scene when the original arrest took place off the A46.
Emma Burton, aged 45, of Stamp End, Lincoln – described as the least involved by the judge, she signposted drug users to Barnes’ flat. The judge said she had undergone a ‘remarkable transformation’ in her efforts to beat drugs. She was jailed for 18 months, suspended for 18 months.
Kayden Marriott, aged 22, of Swingate, Strelley, has also been convicted of conspiring to supply a Class A drug and is awaiting sentencing at the conclusion of other matters.
Police added that anyone with information about drug dealing in their area should contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or dial 999 in an emergency.
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