Major Kent Police Drugs Busts: Over 292 Arrests and £23,000 Cash Seized
Kent Police’s County Lines and Gangs Team has dealt a massive blow to drug crime with a series of major operations. Since March 2020, officers have made 292 arrests, executed nine warrants, and seized over £23,000 in cash alongside multiple drug hauls.
Crack Cocaine and Weapons Found in Chatham Raids
On 27 April, two properties in Chatham were raided under warrant. Police uncovered half a kilo of crack cocaine, heroin, mobile phones, plus two machetes and a sword. Leonard Warner, 19, of Enfield and Jacob Laws, 18, from Chatham, were both charged with possession of crack cocaine intent to supply. They appeared in Medway Magistrates Court on 29 April and face Maidstone Crown Court next month.
County Line Dealer Jailed After Ebbsfleet Sting
Khali Aremu, 22, of Hackney, was tracked down at Ebbsfleet International after detectives linked his phone number to heroin and cocaine sales in Medway. Stopped on 26 January 2021, officers found 90 wraps of cocaine and heroin hidden in his underwear plus incriminating phones. He pled guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and was jailed for four years on 20 April.
Three Men Jailed for Over 20 Years for Gravesham Drug Network
Alex Oni, Adrian Bodzioch, and Deividas Sakalauskas were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on 22 April for running a county lines operation across Gravesham. Oni, 31, coordinated multiple lines using violence and exploiting vulnerable people–including a 12-year-old boy forced into dealing. Oni received 11 years 9 months, Bodzioch 4 years 10 months, and Sakalauskas 3 years 8 months. The youngster has since been safeguarded by Kent Police.
“Since the formation of the County Lines and Gangs Team, officers have arrested nearly 300 suspects and authorised 345 charges,” said Detective Inspector Martin Williams. “We’ve protected vulnerable victims, including children coerced into drug running. We’ll keep cracking down, disrupting networks, and sending a no-nonsense message to criminals.”
