Gravesend County Line Dealers Busted and Jailed
Michael Olarabiro and Tia Henry were part of a dangerous crack cocaine and heroin distribution ring known as the G-line. Operating between June and September 2022, their gang included at least two other dealers. All four have now been locked up, racking up nearly 12 years behind bars combined.
Police Crack the G-line with Phone Evidence
The operation caught the coppers’ attention after bulk drug adverts flooded mobile phones. On August 3rd, officers on patrol in Gravesend spotted Olarabiro trying to flee and chuck away a phone. They caught him, recovering the device used to broadcast the drug deals. A second phone linked Olarabiro directly to co-conspirator Tia Henry, who was arrested shortly after.
G-line Keeps Running – More Arrests Follow
Despite Olarabiro and Henry’s arrests, the drug line kept operating with new phone numbers. Investigations revealed two more culprits: James Adodo and Sharif Flanders. Both were nabbed in September with phones tying them to the network. Cops also seized 124 wraps of Class A drugs from a Gravesend property connected to Flanders.
Harsh Sentences Handed Out
- Michael Olarabiro, 21, of Gravesend, received 3 years and 6 months for supplying drugs at Woolwich Crown Court.
- Tia Henry, 40, from Brockley, London, got 18 months for her part in the drug line.
- James Adodo, 22, Dartford, was jailed for 3 years in October 2022 for two counts of drug dealing.
- Sharif Flanders, 26, no fixed address, pleaded guilty to multiple offences and was sentenced to 3 years and 8 months at maidstone/" title="Maidstone" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Maidstone Crown Court.
“Olarabiro played a pivotal role within this county line network, using his influence to instruct others in drug supply and coordinating significant quantities of heroin and crack cocaine across Gravesend,” said Scott Spedding from the County Lines and Gangs Team.
“Criminal gangs like these bring violence, weapons, and misery to our communities. But we are relentlessly targeting and disrupting their operations. Working with partners and local communities, we’re making it harder for dealers to take hold,” he added.
