County Lines Crackdown: Drug Dealers Jailed After Massive Kent Police Operation
Kent Police’s County Lines and Gangs Team smashed a major drug ring, handing out sentences totalling more than 19 years to dealers caught in a sweeping operation last September.
Officers made 29 arrests, secured 45 charges, and seized £5,145 in cash. The crackdown sent a clear warning to criminals targeting the region.
Desperate Dealer Tosses Drugs Out Window During Raid
Among those locked up was Scott White, 28, from Ramsgate. When officers forced his door open in the early hours of 15 September 2020, he was seen hurriedly throwing drugs out the window in a futile attempt to evade arrest.
Police found crack cocaine and heroin inside his home, along with weighing scales and two burner phones used for county lines deals. White pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply and was jailed for two years at Canterbury Crown Court.
Medway Woman Caught Mid-Drug Deal
Linda Fitzpatrick, 35, a woman with no fixed address, was nabbed on 15 March 2021 by plain-clothed officers witnessing a crack cocaine and heroin deal in Great Lines, Gillingham.
Following her arrest, police found two bags of drugs, a mobile phone, and £115 cash. Fitzpatrick admitted intent to supply and was sentenced to two years in jail at Maidstone Crown Court.
Ongoing Probes and Further Arrests
Four people were arrested in a vehicle stop in Herne Bay on 8 September, with 22-year-old Joshua Jackson charged for crack cocaine and heroin supply. Jackson, from Thamesmead in south-east London, was remanded in custody and is set to appear at Canterbury Crown Court.
Other suspects—a 23-year-old man, a 22-year-old woman from London, and a 31-year-old Herne Bay woman—were released under investigation as enquiries continue.
Detective Superintendent Shaun White said: “Tackling county lines remains a priority for Kent Police. We’re working closely with neighbouring forces to share intelligence and disrupt these ruthless networks.
“We’re committed to putting dealers, who prey on the vulnerable, behind bars. And when others try to fill the void, we’ll come for them too.
“Our message is simple: if you come to Kent to deal drugs, expect to be arrested and prosecuted.”
