Drug Dealers Snared in Mobile Text Sting in Tonbridge
Cops Catch Cocaine Duo Red-Handed
Billy Maidment and Alison Mackinnon tried to peddle cocaine and amphetamines through sneaky mobile texts. But Tonbridge officers had their eyes on them. On 25 February 2020, the Tonbridge Community Policing Team, cruising in an unmarked car in Hildenborough, spotted a suspicious Ford Focus parked on Tonbridge Road – a car already linked to dodgy dealings.
Suspicious Swap Sparks Arrest
Police watched as another car pulled up. Both drivers got out and exchanged what looked like a deal. Cops swooped in and arrested them on the spot. Mackinnon, 53, from Romford, Essex, had 20 wraps of cocaine in a plastic bag and amphetamines in her vehicle, along with a phone packed with drug delivery messages. Maidment, 31, from Hildenborough, was caught with more drugs and £230 in cash.
Mobile Phones Reveal Drug Text Scam
Forensics on their phones exposed the pair’s game. Minutes before Maidment’s arrest, he blasted a marketing text offering cocaine to over 20 users. Mackinnon’s phone showed messages from Maidment, telling her where to deliver drugs.
Jail Time and Suspended Sentence for Dealers
The pair pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court. Maidment got two years and five months behind bars. Mackinnon was handed a one year and nine months sentence, suspended for two years. PC Mark Simcox slammed them: “There is no doubt this pair were prolific cocaine dealers and sought to make a profit from other people’s misery.”
“Class A drugs ruin lives. Maidment, as the organiser, deserved prison. Our officers stay sharp, plainclothes and uniformed, ready to catch dealers. Anyone coming into the county to push cocaine will be stopped and brought to justice.”
