Yacine Djalti, 20, from Liverpool with no fixed address, has been sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison for his role in a ruthless county lines drug empire. He was convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine, criminal damage, carrying a knife in public, and racially charged public disorder.
Djalti led a county lines operation known as the “Mo,” which trafficked crack cocaine and heroin into south Cumbria between July and August 2021. The gang exploited vulnerable individuals and even used a child to smuggle drugs into the area.
Other members of the gang also received prison sentences for their involvement. Fred Williams, 21, from Liverpool, was jailed for 2 years and 10 months for drug distribution. Gary Crompton, 59, from Liverpool, received a 2-year sentence for conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Ben Heavyside, 31, from Barrow, was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months for heroin supply and exploitation offences. Derek Duncan, 50, from Carlisle, was jailed for 2 years for drug conspiracy. Marc Woods, 44, from Barrow, received 13 months for allowing premises to be used for drug dealing.
Cumbria Police conducted raids on the gang’s properties as part of their crackdown. On July 28, 2021, officers raided a property on Abbey Road in Barrow-in-Furness and found 80 wraps of crack cocaine and 98 wraps of heroin valued at £3,600, along with £360 in cash. Three gang members were arrested at the scene.
Another raid took place on August 5 at a flat on Titchfield Street, where police seized 89 heroin wraps and over £1,000 in cash. Dealer Ben Heavyside and a juvenile from Merseyside were arrested during this operation.
The final arrest occurred on August 17 in Liverpool during a joint operation between Cumbria and Merseyside Police. Djalti attempted to flee on foot, discarding phones, cash, and a knife. The recovered phones provided evidence linking him to the county lines drug network.
A spokesperson for the Community Serious and Organised Crime Unit stated, “Djalti’s drug operation preyed on the vulnerable for profit.” They added, “We want to send a clear message to those dealing Class A drugs in south Cumbria: we will track you down no matter where you come from.”
Authorities are urging the public to come forward with any information related to drug dealing to help dismantle these dangerous networks permanently.
Originally published by UKNIP.
