A drug dealer has been jailed for more than three years following a police raid in Welwyn Garden City.
Ben Morris, of Heronswood Road, Welwyn Garden City, appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, September 29 for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.
The 25-year-old was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment for being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.
Morris had previously pleaded guilty at a hearing at Hatfield Remand Court on Wednesday, September 6. He was then remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing.
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Morris had been arrested the previous day - on Tuesday, September 5 - in a police raid carried out on his address by officers from the constabulary’s Operation Scorpion and Operation Mantis, which tackle county lines drug dealing.
A phone and a bladed article were recovered from the address along with a quantity of cash and a high-value Rolex watch.
Detective Inspector Bianca Broadbent, from the Welwyn Hatfield Local Crime Unit, said: “We are determined to get drugs off the streets of Welwyn Hatfield.
I hope residents feel reassured that Morris is behind bars and I hope he uses the time to reflect on his criminality and the impact it had on the community.
“My teams will continue working hard to find and arrest criminals just like Morris, to keep you safe and protect our most vulnerable from harm.”
You can report information about drugs online at herts.police.uk/report, speak to an operator in Hertfordshire Constabulary's Force Communications Room via online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact or call the non-emergency number 101.
Alternatively, you can stay 100 per cent anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.
What is County Lines?
County Lines is the name given to describe drug dealing which involves criminal networks from urban areas expanding their activities into smaller towns and rural areas.
Dealers typically use a single phone line to facilitate the supply of Class A drugs to customers. The phone line is highly valuable and is protected through violence and intimidation.
What is Operation Mantis?
The Operation Mantis team was launched by Hertfordshire Constabulary in 2018 and is made up of officers who specialise in targeting serious and organised crime.
Their aim is to identify and disrupt county line gang activity and the associated crime that goes with it.
Operation Scorpion are a specialist unit of officers, largely plain clothed, who tackle acquisitive crime.
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