Gang jailed for dealing £250k of cocaine and heroin in 'county line' operation

Members of a gang that had been dealing Class A drugs it shipped from London to Suffolk have been jailed for a total of 25 years.

The gang's kingpin was Jerome Daley, 30, who would text drug users in Ipswich to tell them when there were drugs for sale.

They would then place their "orders" by text and Daley would get his drug runners to make the delivery.

Wood Green Crown Court in London also heard how an associate of Daley, Kyron Nestor-Thelwell, 23, would travel from London to Ipswich several times a week to restock the runners and collect money made from the deals.

It is part of what is known as a "county line" operation where local drug runners in the region are exploited to deliver drugs and are often paid in drugs to supply their habit.

Police estimated the drug gang made the journey to Ipswich on at least 170 separate occasions, and earned around £273,000 in 12 months.

Daley was sentenced to 11 years and six months, Nestor-Thelwell, was jailed for six years while fellow gang member Kristian Pullen, 39, of Ipswich was sentenced to two years but suspended for two years.

Other gang members in the operation were Paul Butters, 33 also of Ipswich who was jailed for 15 months suspended for two years and Andy Mokonzele, 32 of High Wycombe ,who was jailed for six years and eight months.

Detective Inspector Glenn Butler from the Met's Trident and Area Crime Command, said: "This was an extensive proactive operation between the Met and our colleagues at Suffolk Police which has led to the successful prosecution of six members of this network.

"I hope this result sends a clear message that we will continue to pursue gangs in this way, wherever in the UK they are operating. The harm that drugs cause communities across the UK will not be tolerated."