Three county lines dealers have been jailed after exploiting children to sell drugs in Hatfield.
Malik Aziz, 24, of Eastwood Street, Streatham, was sentenced to nine years behind bars after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin, and possession of a firearm at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday.
Omar Aziz, also 24, and of Eastwood Street, was sentenced to three years and two months’ in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
Samir Mustafa, 24, of Stone Street, Reading, was sentenced to two years and three months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin, and driving whilst disqualified.
On January 18, 2022, officers from Operation Orochi, the Met Police's specialist team dedicated to tackling offenders involved in county lines drugs supply, raided an address in Hatfield.
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Inside, they found two boys, aged 14 and 15, who had been reported missing from London.
A short while later, detectives arrested twin brothers Omar and Malik Aziz in Streatham.
A phone seized from the pair was found to be the number for a Hatfield drugs line, which had been directing children to supply drugs on their behalf and sending out bulk messages advertising crack cocaine and heroin for sale.
A search of their home was carried out, and officers found a small unloaded Sig Sauer self-loading pistol and eight rounds of ammunition.
The firearm was later identified as belonging to Malik, after footage was found on his mobile phone and DNA from both brothers found on it.
A zombie knife and more than £2,000 in cash was seized, while CCTV footage showed the two boys found in Hatfield entering the Streatham address.
A day later, Mustafa was arrested after being identified as the person transporting the children to and from Hatfield in his Mercedes S Class car, whilst being disqualified.
The two children were not prosecuted and were instead referred to Children's Services for safeguarding.
READ MORE: County lines drug dealers jailed for more than 13 years
"County lines drug dealers exploit young and vulnerable people to facilitate their drug supply," said Detective Constable Dec James, the investigating officer from Operation Orochi.
"They hope that by using vulnerable children as drugs runners they will shield themselves from identification and prosecution by law enforcement.
"This is because frequently, these exploited persons are too scared to assist police.
"Drill music was also used to glorify their criminal activities.
"I hope this sentence sends out a message that we will not tolerate the exploitation of children nor the supply of drugs. We will pursue those involved, irrespective of whether the victim assists the police or not.
"The additional recovery of a loaded firearm associated with these perpetrators reflects the intractable association between drug supply and violence."
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