Drugs and Guns: Surrey Road Flat Raided in Major Bust
A quiet Surrey Road flat was actually a cocaine pressing factory and drug den, police revealed after a nail-biting raid last year. The Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate swooped on the two-bedroom ground floor flat on the evening of Thursday 30 April 2020, cracking down on suspected drug dealers.
£20,000 of Class A Drugs and Deadly Weapons Seized
Officers found heroin, cocaine, cannabis, and a whopping £22,000 in cash scattered across the flat. They also uncovered cutting agents used to bulk up drugs for sale. The haul included 12 mobile phones, believed to be used for drug dealing.
Worryingly, the raid revealed a sawn-off shotgun hidden in a bag tossed over a garden wall, with 11 cartridges ready to fire. A handgun, later identified as an air pistol, was also seized. Experts estimated the total street value of drugs at around £20,000, plus £1,000 worth of cannabis.
Drug Dealers Locked Up
A hydraulic press and mould found on site indicated cocaine was being compressed into blocks. The suspects, Ashley Cairns, 34, and Jordan Bourton, 21, both from Surrey Road, were arrested and charged with multiple offences.
- Ashley Cairns received a hefty eight years and 10 months behind bars after pleading guilty to firearm possession, drug supply (heroin, cocaine, cannabis), and handling criminal property.
- Jordan Bourton was sentenced to six years and eight months for the same crimes.
A third man involved was jailed at an earlier hearing.
Police Praise ‘Major Win’ Against Violent Dealers
Detective Sergeant Jason Booth, senior officer on the case, said: “The evidence shows this property was used for preparing and selling illegal drugs at street level, and laundering proceeds. The sawn-off shotgun highlights the dangerous lengths dealers will go to protect themselves and their profits.
“I’m relieved this weapon is off the streets and these men can no longer prey on the vulnerable for criminal gain.”
