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'County lines' heroin dealer jailed under child trafficking law 'County lines' heroin dealer jailed under child trafficking law
(about 2 hours later)
A drug dealer who trafficked three children including a teenage girl to use in a “county lines” crack and heroin selling ring has been jailed for 14 years after a landmark prosecution. A drug dealer who used three children from Birmingham to sell crack cocaine and heroin to addicts in a Lincolnshire town has been jailed for 14 years after admitting charges of modern slavery.
Birmingham-based Zakaria Mohammed, 21, recruited the vulnerable children to extend his drugs network to Lincoln, but was caught after two missing 15-year-old boys were found in a squalid and freezing flat in January. In what the prosecutors described as a landmark case, Zakaria Mohammed admitted using two boys aged 15 and a 14-year-old girl to deal on his behalf from a flat in Lincoln that was also occupied by two heroin users.
Mohammed, from Aston, is thought to be the first drug dealer convicted in Britain for breaching the Modern Slavery Act by trafficking children. One of his victims was a 14-year-old girl. Mohammed, 21, transported the children, drugs and money between Birmingham and Lincoln. He operated the line remotely; taking calls and then telling the children when and where to make sales.
County lines gangs recruit children from cities and send them to provincial towns to sell drugs. Police said he made profits of £500 a day. Yet his young dealers benefited little from the ring. In one “filthy, cold” flat identified by the investigation, three “drawn, tired and hungry” youngsters were found living alongside two hard drug users “surrounded by used syringes”.
Police said Mohammed, who admitted four counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply and five counts of human trafficking, made profits of £500 a day by organising the sale of crack cocaine and heroin from premises in Lincoln, which were raided on 25 January. “They were not wearing new trainers or designer clothes … they didn’t have new phones or gadgets,” said DI Tom Hadley, the senior investigating officer in the case. “They were not making money - they were having their childhood stolen from them by Mohammed who considered them expendable workhorses.
Though no drugs were found at the property in Yarborough Road, police recovered knives and cash, leading them to believe it was being used as a base to supply about 100 local addicts. “That’s the reality for children that are lured into this world through false promises.”
West Midlands police began a joint investigation with colleagues from Lincolnshire police after a raid on a flat in Lincoln on 25 January turned up two 15-year-old boys who had been reported missing from their homes in Birmingham.
Police surveillance identified a Seat Leon registered to Mohammed making regular trips from Birmingham, often accompanied by teenagers, to a property in Foster Street, Lincoln. On 6 February police intercepted him as he left the M6 into Birmingham, and seized his car for being uninsured.
In the car, police found a phone used to run a drug dealing line with more than 100 customer contacts. They also found a pair of black school trousers, a white shirt and a school tie belonging to a child from Birmingham who had been reported missing.
Forensic examination of a Mountain Dew bottle and a Ribena carton found in the car returned DNA matches to two further 15-year-old boys who had disappeared.
Despite losing his car, Mohammed continued to operate the line. West Midlands police watched him book regular taxis - at more than £100 a trip - to ferry himself and children from Birmingham to Lincoln. Lincolnshire police filmed the children peddling the drugs to users as often as every 10 minutes.
Detectives raided the Foster Street flat on 12 February, finding 25 wraps of heroin and cocaine, cash and two zombie knives. Three 15-year-old boys, all reported as missing from Birmingham, were found inside the one-bed flat along with two drug users.
The raid did not deter Mohammed, who repeatedly changed the number on the line to avoid detection, each time sending mass text messages to customers to advertise the new details. The following day, he bought a new car, which officers were able to track making deliveries to properties taken over by the ring.
Officers also recovered CCTV from Birmingham New Street station showing him buying train tickets for two children to travel to Lincoln.
Both children – a boy aged 15 and a 14-year-old girl who had been reported missing – were found when officers from Lincolnshire and West Midlands raided a property in Hermit Street, Lincoln, on 6 April. Evidence recovered at the address included more drugs, two hunting knives, and £1,400 in cash - believed to be the take from less than three days’ dealing.
Mohammed was arrested later that day, as he headed into Lincoln. He refused to talk to detectives during interview but later admitted four counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply and five counts of human trafficking.
Passing sentence at Birmingham crown court, the judge, Nicholas Webb, said: “The fact is the children were being taken away for days or weeks, exposed to potential danger in a squalid environment.”
Operations in major cities seek new markets outside urban hubs for their drugs, primarily crack cocaine and heroin. The expansion of their networks into the regions often comes with exploitation.Operations in major cities seek new markets outside urban hubs for their drugs, primarily crack cocaine and heroin. The expansion of their networks into the regions often comes with exploitation.
Children and vulnerable adults are often coerced into ferrying and stashing the drugs. They can be homeless or missing people, addicts, people living in care, trapped in poverty, or suffering from mental illness or learning difficulties. Even older and physically infirm people have been targeted and officers have observed a gang member attending drug rehab to find potential runners. Children and vulnerable adults are often coerced into ferrying and stashing the drugs. They can be homeless or missing people, addicts, people living in care, trapped in poverty, or suffering from mental illness or learning difficulties. Even older and physically infirm people have been targeted and officers have observed a gang member attending drug rehab to find potential runners. 
Initially they can be lured in with money, gifts and the prospect of status. But this can quickly turn into the use of violence, sometimes sexual.Initially they can be lured in with money, gifts and the prospect of status. But this can quickly turn into the use of violence, sometimes sexual.
National Crime Agency research shows police have knowledge of at least 720 county lines in England and Wales, but it is feared the true number is far higher. Around 65% of forces reported county lines being linked to child exploitation, while 74% noted vulnerable people being targeted. National Crime Agency research shows police have knowledge of at least 720 county lines in England and Wales, but it is feared the true number is far higher. Around 65% of forces reported county lines being linked to child exploitation, while 74% noted vulnerable people being targeted. 
Children without criminal records - known in the trade as "clean skins" - are preferred because they are less likely to be known to detectives. Charity The Children's Society says 4,000 teenagers in London alone are exploited through county lines. The Children's Commissioner estimates at least 46,000 children in England are caught up in gangs.Children without criminal records - known in the trade as "clean skins" - are preferred because they are less likely to be known to detectives. Charity The Children's Society says 4,000 teenagers in London alone are exploited through county lines. The Children's Commissioner estimates at least 46,000 children in England are caught up in gangs.
A surveillance operation identified a Seat Leon registered to Mohammed making regular trips from Birmingham, often accompanied by teenagers, to a property in Foster Street, Lincoln.
West Midlands police seized the vehicle for having no insurance in February, discovering a phone used to run the drugs line – known as “Castro” – and clothing, including school trousers and a school tie belonging to a missing child from Birmingham.
A drink bottle and a Ribena carton recovered from the Seat returned a DNA match to two other 15-year-old boys who had disappeared from the city.
Officers from Lincolnshire police recorded video evidence of children passing drugs to punters – often completing deals every 10 or 15 minutes – and swooped on the flat in Foster Street on 12 February.
Three 15-year-old boys, all reported as missing from Birmingham, were found inside the one-bedroom flat with two known class A drug users. A total of 25 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine were recovered, plus cash and two so-called zombie knives.
Mohammed pleaded guilty after officers also recovered CCTV from Birmingham New Street station showing him buying train tickets for two children to travel to Lincoln.
Both children – a boy aged 15 and a 14-year-old girl who had been reported missing – were found when officers from Lincolnshire and West Midlands raided a property in Hermit Street, Lincoln on 6 April.
Passing sentence at Birmingham crown court, the judge, Nicholas Webb, said: “The fact is the children were being taken away for days or weeks, exposed to potential danger in a squalid environment.”
After the sentencing, DC Max Gebhard, of West Midlands police, said: “The Castro drugs line number was changed four times in a bid to avoid detection by the police. Each time a mass text message would be sent out to its scores of users alerting them to the new number on which to place orders – and when those orders came in, Mohammed would contact the children to fulfil the deals.
“This is a hugely significant conviction for West Midlands police and law enforcement as a whole across the UK. It shows that we can go after county lines offenders not just for drug supply but also under trafficking legislation due to them exploiting children.”
ChildrenChildren
BirminghamBirmingham
Human traffickingHuman trafficking
SlaverySlavery
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