Drill Rapper Jailed for Trafficking Teen in Essex County Lines Sting
Xavion Benson, a drill music artist running the notorious Peter and Zak drug lines, has been locked up for five years and seven months after trafficking a teenage boy from London to Clacton. Between November 2021 and March 2022, Benson’s operation pushed Class A drugs across the London-Essex corridor, marking the first-ever conviction in Essex under the Modern Slavery Act.
Teen Forced Into Squalor and Drug Dealing
In January 2022, Benson trafficked a vulnerable teenager to Clacton and forced him to sell drugs. The boy lived in appalling conditions for nearly two weeks—unable to wash, eat, or drink properly—and visibly lost weight before returning home. Benson had promised £2,800 for the boy’s “work,” but the money never materialised.
Met Police Crack Down on County Lines Duo
The investigation kicked off after the boy’s parents reported him missing to the Metropolitan Police. Officers traced the boy’s phone to the Peter and Zak lines, already under scrutiny.
Following a joint police operation in March 2022, Benson was arrested on suspicion of Class A drug supply and human trafficking. Meanwhile, Ryan Arrowsmith was identified as a key player who sent bulk marketing texts advertising sizeable drug deals.
Two Men Admit Guilt – Jail Time Follows
- Benson, 22, of Creek Road, London SE8, pleaded guilty to drug supply and human trafficking.
- Arrowsmith, 32, caught trying to flush drugs during a raid at his Sidcup home, pleaded guilty to heroin and crack cocaine supply.
Arrowsmith was jailed for four years and three months in November 2022. Benson received his sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court today alongside a slavery and trafficking prevention order banning him from arranging travel for others for seven years. Arrowsmith also got a seven-year criminal behaviour order.
Police Praise Tireless Investigation Into Exploitation
“County lines gangs target vulnerable children to traffic and exploit them. This is trafficking and exploitation; nothing less,” said Detective Inspector James Healy.
“This is the first conviction of its type in Essex, and I’m proud of the team for relentlessly pursuing justice not only for drugs but for the human cost this case revealed.”
PC Harlie Turner added: “These gangs promise kids money and designer clothes but deliver squalor, terror, and hardship. We’re glad we saved this boy from a life of crime and abuse.”
