Gang who exploited children convicted for county lines operation in Wolverhampton and West Midlands

Ringleader Brian Asante was convicted on Friday for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine. After a five-week trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, the jury also found him guilty of child exploitation.

Asante ran his business from addresses he lived at or had strong connections with in Wolverhampton and Stafford.

He was assisted by eight co-conspirators who lived across the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Northamptonshire and Wiltshire. Between them they ran supply lines, called the AB Line and Jay Line, between February and September, 2021.

Phones and SIM cards which were seized when West Midlands Police officers arrested Asante at his home in Canberra Drive, Stafford, were analysed and revealed links between all the defendants.

Mobile phone data also revealed text messages about drugs being available and locations involved, as well as images, including one of Asante sitting on a wall with a bottle of alcohol and a pile of bank notes.

Investigators retrieved Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data which helped trace the movement of vehicles used by the defendants as they went between the towns delivering shipments and selling drugs.

Phone data also showed that the gang leader was directly involved in the exploitation of children to deal drugs using social media app Snapchat.

Two women; Meghan Lawrence, 21, of Manitoba Croft, Birmingham and Emma Gill, 42, of Convent Close, Wolverhampton were also convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack-cocaine, as well as four men; Dhillon Swarn, 20, of Wolverhampton Road, Bloxwich, Simon McTaggart, 38, of Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, Gulam Izdani, 22, of Luddesdown Road, Swindon and Maurice Reid, 55, of The Cloisters, Burton-upon-Trent.

Alicia Cox, 25, of Wesley Road, Bilbrook, South Staffordshire was convicted of assisting an organised crime group by transporting a child for the purpose of selling drugs.

James Carroll, aged 46, of Dumble Close, Corby Northamptonshire was convicted of facilitating travel for a child for the purpose of exploitation.

DS Gavin McGrath, from our County Lines Taskforce, said: "This was a well-developed and complex network of dealers who were supplying large quantities of heroin and cocaine to people many miles away.

“We worked with Staffordshire Police, Northampton Police and Police Scotland to gather intelligence, evidence and secure arrests.

"Ultimately we were able to dismantle their operation and safeguard two children who were being trafficked as part of the illegal operation.”

They will be sentenced at a date to be confirmed.

Anyone who has concerns about someone being exploited or being involved in County Lines can access support and advice here.