Three County Line Dealers Busted for Peddling Heroin and Cocaine in Kent
Three drug dealers running a ruthless county line operation pushing heroin and cocaine across Maidstone and west Kent have been slammed with stiff jail sentences.
‘Benny Line’ Gang Exposed by Kent Police
Kent Police’s County Line and Gang Team cracked the gang’s code in late 2019. They discovered a phone used by the criminals to market Class A drugs directly to users via text messages. The gang dubbed their network the ‘Benny Line’, blasting out deals for heroin and cocaine.
Drugs were ordered by sending a message to the phone, then delivered regularly to eager customers.
Key Players Identified and Arrested
Between 15 October and 9 December 2019, Dale Percy, Ben Roberts, and a 17-year-old boy controlled this phone, orchestrating drug deliveries not just in Kent, but also reaching as far as Brighton, East Sussex.
- The 17-year-old was arrested in south London on 9 December.
- Dale Percy, 34, from Hayle Road, Maidstone, was detained the same day.
- Ben Roberts, 39, of Nursery Road, Aylesford, was taken into custody on 11 December.
All three later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine at Maidstone Crown Court.
Sentences Handed Down – No Soft Justice for Dealers
On 5 November, Percy was jailed for three years, Roberts got three years and one month behind bars, and the 17-year-old was locked up for two years and seven months in a young offenders institution.
“These dealers bring misery to the streets of Kent and we will continue to identify anybody seeking to establish themselves and supply Class A drugs,” said Detective Inspector Matt Talboys.
“Using mobile phones and false names offers no protection – we track these criminals down time and again and swiftly bring them to justice.”
Kent Police sends a clear warning: county lines crime won’t be tolerated.
