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A Tulse Hill-based county lines drug gang who sold crack cocaine and heroin and boasted about it in their music has been jailed for a total of 61 years.

A total of 16 people were jailed following a major investigation into drugs supply in the Home Counties from Lambeth . Prosecutors linked them with an organised crime gang known as the "67".

Eight members of the South London gang even boasted about their use of "waps", which means guns, and "skengs" which means guns or knives, in songs by the gang.

From South London, the gangsters spread their network through the rest of London, reaching out to Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire and Hampshire.

Police takedown

By taking over the homes of their addicts and establishing four "lines" to get their product out of London, the gang created a lucrative illicit business.

But Met Police were able to take down major players by working through pages of call data and tracking the phones being used to flog Class A drugs in six counties across the South East.

Their investigation culminated in a huge 200-officer raid in south London in November.

What is cuckooing? Cuckooing describes drug dealers taking over a vulnerable person’s property to help their ‘business’. This can involve dealers convincing someone with mental health issues to let them use their home as a base. Victims of ‘cuckooing’ are often drug users but can include older people, those suffering from mental or physical health problems, female sex workers, single mums and those living in poverty. Charity Crimestoppers says victims may suffer from other forms of addiction, such as alcoholism. Once they gain control, gangs move in with the risk of domestic abuse, sexual exploitation and violence. Children as well as adults are used as drug runners.

The homes of addicts were used as local bases in the distribution chain, a common characteristic of county lines dealing called cuckooing.

Whilst gangs used to target young people to carry out their bidding, police are warning dealers are increasingly choosing vulnerable adults, as they are less likely to be picked up by local authorities.

Members of '67' gang

Jailing the gang members for a total of 61 years at a hearing at Inner London Crown Court on Friday (July 26), Judge Benedict Kelleher said many of the defendants had connections to the south London gang known as the 67.

"All the defendants in this case have been convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs in the counties to the south of London," he said.

"They were connected by the link that many of the defendants can be connected to a south London gang known as the 67.

"Crack cocaine and heroin have a devastating effect on the individuals who take them and the society around them.

"Each time a drug of class A was sold under one of these conspiracies those responsible were committing an act of harm towards the buyer and the wider public who live in those communities who have to suffer the appalling effects of crime and degradation class A drug addiction brings.

"The evidence that is linked to the 67 gang demonstrates the entrenched connection between gang membership and drug supply."

Ten members of the gang admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs, with a charge of being part of an organised crime group known as the 67 left to lie on file, while the remaining six were found guilty of both offences after trial.

They were all sentenced over three days at Inner London Crown Court, starting on Wednesday (July 25).

The gang operated phone lines that ran across the South East, each known by a different name.

The Lines

Si Line

(Image: Met Police)

The Si Line was run from London into Bognor Regis with 25-year-old Connell Bamgboye as the primary owner. Chris Thomas, 23 controlled the line for short periods in Bamgboye’s absence having worked his way up from a runner for the gang.

He was responsible for the resupply of drugs to Bognor Regis and oversaw the transportation of people to run the physical dealing, working with 20-year-old Kayce Leigh.

Phone records showed Leigh regularly updated Thomas on the profit made and amount of product remaining. She also frequently travelled between London and Bognor Regis to resupply the line.

Thomas's henchmen who helped him run the Si Line, including Robert Allison, 20, Darnell Bailey-King, 21, Tevin Nugent, 23. and Talyor Mackey, 24. He was found to present on every identified journey carried out by Thomas, usually acting as his driver.

AJ Line

(Image: Met Police)

The AJ line was fully owned by Thomas, and would sometimes operate in towns and villages on the borders of Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey.

It was usually active when either Thomas, Mackey or Nugent were in the area. Unlike the other drugs lines they identified, AJ is the only line where the owner spent extended periods of time in the dealing location.

Pepsi Line

(Image: Met Police)

David Mundle, 23, ran the Pepsi line between London and Medway in Kent. He used a number of other people's homes and runners in the area to store and sell the Class Adrugs.,

Sadjo Diakitie, 21, was found inside an address linked to the line on July 26, 2018, with large quantities of crack and heroin. Analysis of Diakite’s phone showed he had regular communication with the Pepsi line.

Mundle was arrested on November 2, 2018, and was found with 362 wraps of heroin and the phone running the Pepsi Line.

Jeezy Line

(Image: Met Police)

Shemiah Bell, 27, ran the Jeezy line between London and Medway with the help from Kyle Milton, 18.

On June 20, 2018, Geoffrey Allen, 56, was stopped in in Castle Road, Chatham and found to be in possession of 16 wraps of drugs and a mobile phone linking him to the Jeezy line.

On August 6, 2018 police visited Grange Hill, Chatham and found Ryeene Cowan, 24, inside an home with more than 600 wraps of drugs. Examination of phone call data showed Cowan was in regular contact with the line.

(Image: Met Police)

The National Crime Agency estimates that one county lines phone can generate £800,000 per year.

During the course of the operation, officers were also able to shut a local pone line run by gang member Mohammed Jalloh, 20, in Tulse Hill.

Six of the men who pleaded guilty to drug dealing are also from Tulse Hill, including Connell Bamgboye, of New Park Road, who was jailed for six years.

Christopher Thomas, of Masey Mews, was jailed for four-and-a-half years, Rhys Walcott-Holder, of Vibart Gardens, was jailed for four years, Shemiah Bell, of Tilson Gardens, was jailed for four years and eight months, and Tife Orawusi, 20, of New Park Road, was jailed for three years and four months.

(Image: Met Police)

Kyle Milton, of Tilson Gardens, was handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years with 200 hours unpaid work and a 15-day rehabilitation requirement.

Of the remaining four who made a guilty plea, David Mundle, of Clarence Avenue, Brixton, was jailed for five years and Ryeene Cowan, of Fenton Close, Stockwell, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years, including five years for an additional firearms offence.

Kayce Leigh, 20, of Cassell House, also Stockwell, was handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years with a 15-day rehabilitation requirement and 200 hours unpaid work.

Sadjo Diakite, 21, of Miranda Close, Coventry, was jailed for three years and four months.

A charge of participating in an Organised Crime Group for each of these defendants was left to lie on file.

The remaining six were each found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and participating in an Organised Crime Group after a trial.

(Image: Met Police)

Jalloh, of Forster Road, Tulse Hill, was jailed for four-and-a-half years, Taylor Mackey,of Sangley Road, Catford, was jailed for four years, and Darnell Bailey-King, of Challice Way, Tulse Hill, was jailed for three years and six months.

Telvin Nugent, of Valley Road, Streatham, was jailed for four-and-a-half years, Robert Allison, of Clarence Avenue, Brixton, was jailed for four years and Geoffrey Allen, 56, of no fixed abode, was jailed for three years.

At least 14 of the 16 people convicted were from South London.

(Image: Met Police)

In their gang lives, Jalloh, Bamgboye, Walcott-Holder, Orawusi and Thomas all featured in a 67 video for a drill rap called £WAPS, while Cowan, Mundle, Bamgboye and Bell were all in the video for Let's Lurk.

Detective Inspector Anthony Jones from the Met's Trident and Area Crime Command said: "This investigation is the result of months of hard work carried out by my officers in close collaboration with colleagues from Kent Police. They all showed exceptional commitment in bringing these 16 offenders to justice.

"County lines remains a national issue, but as this investigation shows, we will work closely with colleagues from other forces to share intelligence, gather evidence and dismantle drug dealing networks.

"There is a clear link between the drug supply and the violence we have seen unfold on the streets of London. By disrupting the activity of this organised crime group, we have reduced the violent activity which blighted local communities in the months prior to this investigation."



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Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Moss, from Kent Police's Crime Investigation Department, said: "The sentences imposed send out an unmistakable message that there is no place for county lines drug dealing.

"These offenders were all looking to make money from people living with drug misuse and cared little about the harm they were causing to numerous communities. The length of time they will spend in prison reflects the seriousness of such offending."