Four people have been sentenced after admitting running a county line and supplying crack cocaine and heroin in the city.
Three men and a teenager appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Friday, October 21, after being sentenced for supplying crack cocaine and heroin between June and November 2021.
Edgar Mendes, 24, of Norfolk Avenue, London, was sentenced to eight years in prison, while Pharell Thomas, 19, of Ellerdine Road, Hounslow, was sentenced to two years in a young offenders institute, suspended for two years.
Kevy Kabula, 18, of Darndale Close, London, was also sentenced to two years in a young offenders institute, suspended for two years.
A 17-year-old boy from London, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given a youth referral order for 12 months.
Edgar Mendes was sentenced to eight years in prison (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)
The county line, known as A4, has now been permanently closed down following a joint investigation by Norfolk Constabulary's County Lines Team and the Metropolitan Police under Operation Orochi.
Op Orochi focuses on analysing mobile phone data to target those running County Lines out of the capital into counties such as Norfolk.
The court heard how Thomas was arrested following a stop search on Onley Street on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, and found in possession of £700 in cash.
Following this arrest, officers attended an address on the street where Kabula was arrested after officers discovered a large amount of class C drugs, cash and mobile phones.
Both were questioned on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs and later released while enquiries continued.
They were then found at a different property in the city on Thursday, September 9, 2021, when officers discovered 30 wraps of heroin and 137 wraps of crack cocaine, as well as phones and cash.
The pair were arrested and released while officers continued with their enquiries.
Forensic analysis of seized phones linked Kabula and Thomas to the A4 drugs line and Mendes.
They also contained photos of the 17-year-old holding a wedge of £20 notes and identified a property in Norwich as a drug dealing base.
Kabula and the 17-year-old were arrested and charged with being concerned with the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.
On Sunday, November 7, Mendes was arrested following reports of suspicious activity near a property in Norwich.
A property in London was subsequently searched and more than £3,000 in cash as well as mobile phones, an imitation firearm, cannabis and seven wraps of heroin – the size of golf balls - were seized.
Thomas was also identified as a member of the drug line and was arrested and charged.
Detective Inspector Robin Windsor-Waite from Norfolk Police’s County Lines team said: “The closure of another county line into Norwich is a great result, and this sentence reflects the severity of the offence.
"This investigation shows we will use all avenues to tirelessly identify these networks and put a stop to their criminal activities.”
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