Ashton Cooper, a 23-year-old drug dealer from Woolwich, London, has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to supplying Class A drugs in Great Yarmouth. The sentencing took place at Norwich Crown Court on Monday, 21 September.
Cooper was arrested as part of a joint operation between Norfolk Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police on 30 January 2020. The operation, known as Operation Orochi, utilised mobile phone data to target and dismantle County Lines drug networks involved in the illegal trade.
Investigations revealed that Cooper was operating the ‘line’ for the well-known ‘LJ’ dealer group, trafficking crack cocaine and heroin into Great Yarmouth from late November 2019 through January 2020. During this period, police uncovered over 20,500 text messages and calls linked to the drug line.
Detective Sergeant Craig Bidwell of Norfolk Police’s County Lines Team commented on the case: “This investigation is another example of how, by working together, forces are able to permanently shut down County Lines at their source. Line holders like Cooper are facilitating the exploitation of young people and vulnerable adults. Norfolk Police remain committed to shutting down County Lines and protecting those from the misery this type of criminality can bring.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
