A county lines dealer who was caught by police on his way back from Brighton has been jailed for more than five years.
A county lines drug dealer supplying heroin and crack cocaine in the south of England has been jailed for five years and eight months following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.
He was stopped by officers from BTP’s County Lines Taskforce at Three Bridges railway station in February.
Charles Oluwaseyi Ogunnowo, 26, and of Crest Road, Croydon, appeared at West Sussex Magistrates’ Court on 25 March where he pleaded guilty to being concerned in supplying crack cocaine and heroin, possession of cannabis and possessing criminal property.
On Friday 1 April, a judge at Bournemouth Crown Court sentenced him to 68 months imprisonment.
At just after midday on Thursday 24 February, Ogunnowo was spotted by plain clothed officers alighting a rail replacement bus service at the West Sussex station having travelled from Brighton.
His behaviour aroused the attention of the officers who then engaged with him as he walked towards a London-bound train.
The court heard how Ogunnowo then told the officers he was in possession of £850 as well as a burner-style phone, that he claimed belonged to his cousin.
He was subsequently searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, and in addition to the money and phone, he was found to be in possession of cannabis.
The officers then arrested him on suspicion of being concerned in Class A drug supply, money laundering and possession of cannabis before conveying him to police custody for questioning.
An investigation into Ogunnowo’s activity was launched and text message data on the burner-style phone he was carrying on the day was analysed.
Detectives discovered more than 500 broadcast messages in the phone’s outbox offering the sale of heroin and crack cocaine to a mass recipient list.
Detective Inspector Graham Moss said: “It’s evident from the data found on Ogunnowo’s phone that he was operating a lucrative business peddling harmful drugs between London and Sussex using the railway.
“As a result of our intelligence-led operations and the quick investigative work in this case, he’ll now have plenty of time on his hands in jail to reconsider his criminal activity.
“County lines drug dealing affects communities nationwide, offenders prey on the most vulnerable people in society purely to line their own pockets. Our plain clothes and uniformed officers are out across the network every day to tackle drug supply and bring offenders to justice.
“If you’re travelling on the network and spot something that doesn’t look right, you can report it to us by discreetly texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40.”
What on earth is this phrase “county lines”? That sounds rural.
These people are drug-runners: in effect, killers.
Please stop using the phrase “county lines”.
Natioan Crime gency “County Lines is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, often across police and local authority boundaries (although not exclusively), usually by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs. The ‘County Line’ is the mobile phone line used to take the orders of drugs. Importing areas (areas where the drugs are taken to) are reporting increased levels of violence and weapons-related crimes as a result of this trend.”
Saw this guy doing a drug deal in Canford Ave with an old woman last Thursday 8.10am ish. Always around Wallisdown. Bournemouth