County Lines Crackdown In Brighton Sees 64 Arrested, Thousands Of Drugs Wraps Seized

Police have arrested dozens of people and seized almost 6,000 wraps of class A drugs in a "mammoth" crackdown operation that began last September.

Police say 20 different drug lines were disrupted during  Operation Extreme that involved officers from the Met Policed and was driven by the Community Intelligence Team (CIT).

In the six months since it was launched in September, the operation has significantly disrupted county lines drug dealing in the city, including:

• 5,965 wraps of Class A drugs seized
• £31,326 in cash seized
• 64 x individuals arrested or detained
• 20 x Class A drug lines disrupted, with the controllers arrested and charged
• 24 x suspects charged and remanded in custody
• 13 x guilty pleas either sentenced or awaiting sentence
• 9 x weapons including knives, machetes and an imitation firearm

County lines drug dealing is when criminals from large urban areas deal drugs in smaller areas across county borders, such as Brighton. Drug users contact them through specific phone numbers – known as deal lines.

Of the 20 lines disrupted through Op Extreme, 15 were found to be operating from within London.

Sussex Police has detailed what the operation involved:

Through Op Extreme, the Community Investigations Team works closely with the Met Police’s county lines operation Op Orochi to share intelligence and trace drug lines to their source, as well as the joint Surrey and Sussex Op Centurion.

County lines dealing is typified by violence and the exploitation of vulnerable people and children, which makes safeguarding those at risk a priority.

Some of the safeguarding measures taken through Op Extreme include:

• 4 x conditional cautions to engage with Change Grow Live, a drug addiction support charity
• 7 x people identified as being victims of modern slavery, exploitation or immigration
• 17 x adult risk assessment forms submitted to protect vulnerable people
• 8 x juveniles arrested and released with a safeguarding plan in place
• 6 x premises identified as being at risk of cuckooing, with ongoing regular checks conducted

Cuckooing is when drug dealers exploit vulnerable people to use their homes as a base for their operations, usually through violence, intimidation and exploitation of vulnerabilities such as substance addiction.

Detective Inspector Dee Wells, of Brighton and Hove’s Community Investigations Team, said:

“The scale and breadth of Operation Extreme is a perfect example of our steadfast commitment, alongside our partners in the Met Police, to clamp down on county lines drug dealing in Brighton and Hove and safeguard those vulnerable people who are at risk.

“We have dedicated a huge amount of time and resources that have brought about tangible, positive results that have made our city a safer place for everyone.

“These successes should send a clear message to those looking to bring illegal substances into Brighton and Hove that it will not be tolerated and you will be brought to justice.

“If you are vulnerable or at risk of being exploited, the support from police and our partners is there and we will do everything we can to provide the help you need.

“I would like to personally thank the Met Police’s Op Orochi, Surrey and Sussex’s Op Centurion and all of the people involved in Op Extreme for their hard work and dedication.

“Our local Neighbourhood Policing Team also plays a key role in our operations and assisting with safeguarding the vulnerable.”

Op Extreme was supported by Home Office funding via the Regional Organised Crime Unit.

Dozens of dangerous criminals have either been convicted or are being processed through the judicial system as of today, but some notable successes include:

‘JAY’ line - Davontay Williams and Michael Roberts

On the morning of March 8, plain-clothed officers from Brighton’s Community Investigations Team observed Michael Roberts and Davontay Williams drug dealing in Hadlow Close and Queens Park, in close proximity to groups of school children.

They were traced to a property in Hadlow Close and arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Williams, 19, of Tavistock Road in Croydon, was found with a Nokia mobile phone containing drug marketing texts such as ‘back on the whole night J’, and ‘bk on J’ – indicators of the county line known as ‘JAY’.

Roberts, 19, of Atlantic Crescent in Brent, was in possession of 59 wraps of crack cocaine, 17 wraps of heroin, another mobile phone and around £100 in cash.

Both pleaded guilty to supplying crack cocaine and heroin and at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday (May 19) were given 18-month jail sentences, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and attend up to 13 rehabilitation sessions.

‘RICO’ line – Ivan Bokolo

Ivan Bokolo was watched by officers as he dealt drugs in Richmond Place, Brighton, on November 17, 2021.

He was detained and found with keys to a nearby address. Inside the property was over half an ounce of heroin and crack cocaine with a value of £1,670 and a further £9,061 found hidden in an extractor fan.

His address in Dulwich Village, London, was also searched with the assistance of the Met’s Op Orochi, and items related to drug preparation were found, all with traces of cocaine on them, including a Pyrex jug, scales and a razor blade. Officers also found 164 grams of caffeine – a known cutting agent for heroin.

A mobile phone held by Bokolo was revealed to be that of the ‘RICO’ deal line, which had been operating in Brighton and Hove for a number of years.

Bokolo, 28, of Pultney Street in Islington, was charged with possession with the intent to supply Class A drugs and pleaded guilty to all charges. He is due to be sentenced in July.

‘SIMBA’ line – Daniel Hunter and Rajee McLean

On September 29, 2021, a 17-year-old boy was spotted drug dealing in Tilbury Place in Brighton and, after being arrested and searched, was found to be a victim of exploitation by a drugs line known as ‘SIMBA’.

Soon after, Daniel Hunter, 25, of Tilbury Place in Brighton, was arrested in the same area and found to be in possession of a mobile phone identified as the ‘SIMBA’ drugs line.

A search of a property linked to him found a large quantity of Class A drugs ready for street dealing and just under £4,000 in cash.

Rajee McLean, 24, of Brighton Road in Lewes, was linked to the same line and arrested in London on the same day.

Both were charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin). Hunter has pleaded guilty and McLean is awaiting trial.

‘ZEUS’ line – Jake de Moor

Jake de Moor, 19, of Sackville Road in Hove, was found to be the controller of the ‘ZEUS’ line, which had been operating in Brighton and Hove since 2018.

The phone number was identified after being found on the mobile phones of drug death victims and known drug users.

Enquiries by the Met’s Op Orochi team linked the number to De Moor, who was well-known to officers for drug activity over several years.

On November 25, 2021, he was stopped and searched after being observed by officers and found with a mobile phone confirmed to be the ‘ZEUS’ line.

After admitting to officers he had just swallowed nine wraps of Class A drugs, a search of his home found 73 wraps of crack cocaine, 41 wraps of heroin, £1,045 in cash and some cannabis.

He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin, possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, possession of cannabis and money laundering and on January 4 was sentenced to two years and four months in prison.