Police found £15,000 hidden in a shoebox under a bed as part of an investigation into a county line drug network in Medway, a court heard.
The cash was found by officers as they executed a drug warrant at a property in Cherry Orchard Drive, Rainham, on Monday 22 August 2022.
24-year-old Simeon Koroma was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 27 February 2023 for five years and nine months for his part in running the county line ‘MJ’ drug network in Medway.
On the same day the judge jailed the middleman 19-year-old Justin Duyile for two years and two months, and drug runner Curtis Davies, of no fixed address, for one year and eight months.
Natalie Riley, 45, from Gillingham, was handed a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work for her involvement.
Spotted by patrolling officer
The court heard how on Thursday 21 July 2022 a patrolling officer saw 30-year-old Davies carry out a suspected drug deal on Grange Road, Gillingham. He was stopped and searched by officers who found him in possession of several drug wraps, a mobile phone and cash. He was also driving a car which belonged to Natalie Riley.
A warrant was carried out at her nearby address and officers found Riley and Duyile, from Greenhithe, inside the house along with various drug paraphernalia, cash and mobile phones.
Drug ‘tick’ lists were found alongside weighing scales and clingfilm. Several mobile phones were found and officers found text message conversations between various people where drug deals were being arranged.
Arrested
All three were believed to be working for the ‘MJ’ county line drug network, with Davies and Riley acting as ‘runners’ and Duyile acting as a middleman. All three were arrested and later charged with drug offences.
Officers from the County Line and Gangs Team continued their investigation and were able to link Koroma to the network. Various mobile phone numbers were linked to him and CCTV obtained by officers showed him at various shops buying credit to top up the phones with.
Koroma was found inside a bedroom when officers executed the search warrant in August 2022 where he was arrested.
£15,000 in shoebox
While searching the address police found £15,000 hidden in a shoebox under his bed. He was also found in possession of several mobile phones which had been used as part of the drug network. Further investigation revealed he was running the line and would regularly instruct Duyile who would then pass these orders onto Davies and Riley who would carry out the drug deals.
All four each admitted the charges of being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.
Davies was additionally charged with possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, breach of a restraining order and driving without a licence.
Investigating officer PC Rebecca James said: ‘The ‘MJ’ drug network was a very active network across Medway and as a team we have worked tirelessly to arrest and charge those involved in this criminality.
‘We know that drugs were being brought across from London and being sold onto vulnerable drug users within our county which affects not only the drug users but their wider families and communities. We will continue to tackle this type of crime and will not tolerate drugs being sold on our streets’.