Police swoop on house saw county lines drug operation foiled
POLICE foiled a ‘county lines’ drug operation when they raided a house in Tewkesbury that had been ‘cuckooed’ by three men.
Gloucester Crown Court heard that a police investigation into drug running from Birmingham into the Tewkesbury area revealed a “well-organised operation” by the defendants and others.
The evidence also revealed that the illegal activities of the two main men in the gang were “underpinned by the possession of firearms and bladed articles”.
Hayden Warren, 21, of Hartlebury Road, Oldbury, and Amiah Hall-collins, 20, from Summergate, Dudley were the two main operators, while Nathaniel Scott, 19, of Thynne Street, West Bromwich, had a lesser role, the prosecution said.
The three have been given custodial sentences for a total 21 years and nine months between them.
A fourth defendant, a 17-year-old youth, worked as a ‘runner’ for the gang and was handed a 24-month youth rehabilitation order at the same Gloucester Crown Court hearing.
Prosecutor David Scutt said that on November 4, 2020, a police-led operation was carried out in the Tewkesbury area following observations being kept between October and November of that year.
The police searched a “cuckooed” address at Perry Hill, Tewkesbury.
They found Scott there, and there were 79 wraps of cocaine in the property ready for onward sale as well as cash and drugs paraphernalia. Also found was a phone, known as the ‘blue line,’ which was used for receiving orders from customers.
Phone analysis revealed that Scott was, in effect, a ‘runner’ for Warren and Hall-collins, and he was clearly under their direction, the court was told.
Subsequent inquiries into the blue line number established links to Warren and Hall-collins and taxi bookings, which showed regular links between the drugs line and the home addresses of Warren and Hall-collins. This led to both addresses being raided by the police.
The search of Warren’s address revealed several mobile phones, and ammunition. This included 9mm dummy cartridges that had previously been fired, .44 calibre live cartridges, and just over £3,000 in cash, as well as some military-style body armour.
As the police forced their way into the property, Warren managed to drop a pistol out of the window of the flat. This pistol, plus ammunition, was found in a bag on the ground below Warren’s balcony shortly afterwards by a council employee.
The pistol was a 9mm gas cartridge firing, self-loading pistol which at some point had been fitted with a barrel so that it could fire bullets. Eight 9mm bullets were found in and accompanying the firearm. An examination of the firearm revealed it had a history of use by others, which confirmed its potential lethality and use to further the commission of crime.
A National Ballistics Intelligence Service report stated that the gun had been used in other crimes.
The police also discovered videos of Warren in possession of another gun/ firearm and bullets which had not recovered.
Images of Hall-collins in possession of the firearm while he was in Warren’s home were also discovered. And both men were in a video showing them bragging about a drugs run and their supply activities.
The home address of Hall-collins in Dudley was also searched, with the police locating drugs that had been thrown out of a window as they gained entry to the property as well as £300 in cash, plus assorted wraps of heroin and crack cocaine.
The youth’s home address in the West Midlands was also searched and police seized £120 plus a machete.
The court was told that before October 17, 2020, the blue line number was based at Warren’s home address but after this date it had moved to the vicinity of Hall-collins’ home address.
Mr Scutt said the blue line was effectively running the business in Tewkesbury and managing a number of onward supply locations.
The evidence also showed that Warren and Hall-collins managed to draw in a young and, in some respects, vulnerable youth into the drug supply process. His role was as a runner in Tewkesbury.
Scott similarly was drawn in by Hallcollins following a call to him while in prison.
Judge Lawrie remarked that with the exception of the youth, because of his age and psychological vulnerability, the other defendants had little mitigation of any note or value.
“It is clear to me that Warren’s had a clear operational function within the drug supply chain and he involved others in the operation, whether by influence or reward,” he said.
“Hall-collins effectively followed in the offending slipstream of Warren, who had a management function within the chain and there would have been expectation of significant financial reward.
“Scott and the youth fall into the lesser role as they were clearly the ‘errand boys’ directed by Warren and Hall-collins.”
Warren pleaded guilty to the possession of a firearm and to the possession of prohibited ammunition. All four defendants admitted being concerned in the conspiracy to supply class A drugs between July 13, 2020 and December 10, 2020.
Judge Lawrie told the three adult defendants: “The offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.
“Because Warren has admitted possessing a prohibited firearm, his prison sentence will be 12 years.
“Hall-collins will be sentenced to seven and a half years in a young offenders’ institute and Scott’s sentence is two years, three months in a young offenders’ institute.”
The 17-year-old defendant received a 24-month youth rehabilitation order that includes an 18-day programme requirement, eight days’ activity requirement and a four-month electronically monitored curfew.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and ammunition and the forfeiture of the firearm.
Judge Lawrie warned the youth: “You’ve seen the heavy sentences your co-defendants have received, and getting into drugs is a very dangerous world which you need to avoid.”
All three adult defendants will have to face a proceeds of crime hearing next year.