Gang jailed for bringing thousands of pounds of drugs to Norfolk

Abdul Lahdiri, 19, was inside an address in William White Place in Norwich which was attended by police after officers arrested a 16-year-old boy acting suspiciously in Bishop Bridge Road.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found to be in possession of a knife as well as keys to the Norwich address where Lahdiri was found.

Lahdiri was arrested on suspicion of having concealed drugs and as Norwich Crown Court heard, later produced a package containing 101 wraps of heroin and 57 wraps of cocaine.

Officers from the Norfolk Police County Lines Team and the Metropolitan Police established Lahdiri and the teen had been running drugs between London and Norwich for another defendant, Jamal Goole.

Jamal Goole was jailed for four years for his part in a class A drugs conspiracy (Image: Norfolk Police)

Goole, 24, was arrested on July 30, 2020 after police executed a warrant at his address in London.

He had been responsible for running the Jacob County Line which supplied crack cocaine and heroin in Norwich between February and July 2020.

A number of mobile phones were seized, along with a quantity of crack cocaine and heroin, and more than £11,000 in cash.

Analysis of mobile phone numbers showed Goole had sent thousands of text messages offering heroin and crack cocaine for sale in the Norwich area.

The analysis also showed he was in communication with his co-defendants, including Lahdiri, the 16-year-old and Katie Knights, 37, to coordinate the supply.

Katie Knights (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

The 16-year-old had been released under investigation following his arrest in April last year, but on April 7 2020, was found to be a passenger in a black Mini stopped by police in Norwich.

The car, which had been stolen in Essex in January 2020, was being driven by Knights and following searches officers seized a quantity of Class A drugs, mobile phones and cash.

Subsequent enquiries found the 16-year-old boy’s DNA on the seized drugs and messages on the mobile phones relating to the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.

Knights also had messages on her phone showing her arranging the purchase of the stolen car, and showing her providing an index plate for a car of the same make, model, and colour to the suspected seller of stolen car.

Goole, Lahdiri and Knights appeared for sentence on Tuesday, May 18 having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

Goole, from London, was sentenced to four years in prison by Judge Anthony Bate.

Lahdiri, from London, was sentenced to three years in a young offenders institution and Knights, also from London, was jailed for three years.

The 16-year-old, from the London area, previously received a 12-month detention and training order at a hearing last month for his involvement as well as possession of a knife.

Mathew Kirk, mitigating for Goole, said the defendant had been “recruited into the management of that line”.

Letitia Duffus, for Lahdiri, said he was just 18 on the first day of the conspiracy adding any sentence should have regard to his immaturity at the time.

Imogen Nelson, for Knights, said the offending was inextricably linked to her addiction at that time.

Goole, Lahdiri, Knights and the teenager are the latest people to be sentenced under Op Orochi, a joint operation between Norfolk Police and the Metropolitan Police, which focuses on analysing mobile phone data to target those running County Lines out of the capital into smaller counties.

Speaking after the case, PC Callum Watson said: "The ‘Jacob’ County Line was a significant and well-established line selling heroin and crack in Norwich.

"Officers and police staff have worked hard to manage its closure and the arrests of those involved. It has resulted in thousands of pounds worth of heroin and crack being taken off the city’s streets, and further to that thousands of pounds in drugs and cash were seized in London."