County Lines drug gang members who sold cocaine and heroine across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire jailed after Nottinghamshire Police investigation
Gang members who flaunted their wealth while flooding communities, including Grantham and Spalding, with drugs and exploiting children have been jailed for a total of 130 years.
A total of 12 offenders were sentenced by Judge Mark Watson yesterday (Tuesday) for their involvement in the lucrative County Lines conspiracy following a lengthy investigation by Nottinghamshire Police.
The group was actively selling millions of pounds worth of Class A drugs heroin and cocaine to vulnerable addicts in various towns in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire — and a further drugs line connected with the gang was found to be active as far away as Aberdeen — using bulk phone messaging and sophisticated marketing techniques.
County Lines is a term used to describe gangs supplying drugs to other parts of the UK using dedicated mobile phone lines, with gangs frequently exploiting children or vulnerable adults to move and store drugs using violence and coercion.
Officers identified 13 different drugs lines connected with the group, allowing them to supply drugs in Grantham and Spalding, as well as Sutton-in-Ashfield, Mansfield, and Hucknall in Nottinghamshire, Long Eaton, Ripley and Ilkeston, in Derbyshire, and Coalville in Leicestershire with more than 1,400 customer numbers identified and 33,000 bulk marketing messages sent out.
In order to maximise their profits, the group produced their own crack cocaine and used bulking agents to increase the weight of the drugs they sold.
Some of the group armed themselves with weapons, including blank and live firearms, to safeguard their enterprise and recruited children as young as 16 to transport and deal the drugs.
Members of the group posed in photographs and professionally choreographed music videos flaunting their profits with expensive cars, watches and bottles of champagne.
Leading member of the group Sipho Ncube, 29, enjoyed a lavish lifestyle of Rolex watches, designer clothes and posing with bundles of cash. Hand-written notes revealed how he boasted of aiming to earn £20,000 a week from drug dealing. He was repeatedly found in possession of knives and brazen in continuing to offend despite being on bail following earlier arrests. He was jailed for 15 years
Another senior and hands-on member of the group Jephte Fikula, 29, revelled in the reputation and lifestyle drug dealing brought him. Police found firearms when they raided homes associated with him. He was jailed for 21 years
Ramone Campbell, 28, was responsible for running at least one of the group’s drug lines and recruited and involved a 16-year-old boy in drugs supply. He also had possession at times of the same live firing weapon as Fikula. He received a 16 year sentence.
Kamel Mantock, 28, continued to brazenly engage in drugs supply and was engaged in multiple drug lines despite repeated arrests, and was jailed for six years, four months.
Tarell Comrie-Patterson, 28, shared day-to-day running of the Nottingham operation with Jaysaniel Grant, 26, and 'controlled' a 16-year-old boy who was sleeping at their home and being used to transport drugs.
Grant was largely responsible for the day-to-day running of the operation where he lived at Bluebell Hill Road, Nottingham, which became a major hub for the group. When the property was searched in April 2023, he was seen trying to throw away cocaine and heroin.
They were jailed for nine years, 11 months and nine years, six months respectively.
Aiden Farah, 21, operated a drug line in Long Eaton and Stapleford which distributed more than 7,000 bulk messages. He received a six years, 11 months sentence.
Twenty-two-year-old Godpraise Bouwen, 22, was responsible two of the group's most lucrative drug lines, operating in Hucknall and Spalding, and the wholesale supply of drugs, with aspirations of achieving Ncube and Fikula’s status. He was jailed for 15 years.
Bayleigh Reid, 25, was a trusted member of the group involved in the storage of items in preparation of their drugs — including 1.5kg of powder used in the bulking and production of crack cocaine — and received a six years, nine months sentence.
Twenty-four-year-old Gaiel Landu was jailed for eight years, three months. He described as the 'quartermaster' of the group and was found to be responsible for supplying others with the drugs they needed for the day's dealing and receiving cash they had earnt.
Laquarne Fogo, 20, was jailed for eight years for being a habitual knife-carrier who was directly involved in the production of crack cocaine for the group and was trusted to be in control of a line operating in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Twenty-five-year-old Amang Kanyi was also sentenced to seven years, nine months after trial and found to be an enthusiastic member of the group involved in the running of lines to Coalville, Mansfield and Long Eaton.
Ncube, Fikula, Campbell, Mantock, Grant, Farah, Bouwen, Reid, Landu, Comrie-Patterson, Fogo, and Kanyi were all convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Fikula was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of ammunition without a certificate.
Campbell was further convicted of possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition without a certificate.
Detective Inspector Luke Todd, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Class A drugs ruin countless lives and the trade in these substances brings misery to our communities.
“That is why we devote so many hours of police work and have specialist teams working on cases like this to disrupt and shut down drug lines.
“I’d like to thank the many officers from multiple teams who worked on this case.
“Investigating one drug line can be a complex process but 13 lines have been linked to this group, which shows the enormous scale of their operation.
“Following today’s sentencings, our thoughts are with the gang’s many victims, both the vulnerable people they coerced into selling their drugs and the unfortunate and desperate addicts who became their customers.
“Ultimately, whole communities, both in Nottinghamshire and elsewhere, will benefit from these drug lines being identified and shut down.”
Officers say they need the public’s help to identify victims and offer them the support they need.
Det Insp Todd added: “The public are an extra set of eyes and ears for us in trying to tackle criminal gangs head-on.
“The information also allows us to engage with the young people, which is hugely important in our battle against County Lines.
“We know young people in the grip of County Lines criminals regularly use trains, buses and taxis to travel from Nottingham to other parts of the country to sell drugs.
“I would urge people to be vigilant. If you feel like there’s something suspicious about another passenger in your carriage, or you’re concerned that a young person is travelling on their own, please contact the police.
“Always report anything suspicious and trust your instincts – it is key to getting that message about County Lines out there.”
