Eastbourne Drug Dealer Nabbed with Class A Drugs
Adrian Pendley, 34, a violent drug dealer with no fixed address, has been slammed with a five-and-a-half-year jail term after police caught him red-handed in Eastbourne. Officers found him with a stash of Class A drugs and a mobile phone during a raid on a local property.
County Lines Dealer Exploited Vulnerable Victim
Pendley was arrested at the home of a vulnerable individual he was exploiting through cuckooing — taking over a person’s house to run his illegal County Lines drug operation. This sinister method pushes crack cocaine and heroin from cities into small towns using mobile phone networks. It often ropes in vulnerable people, including children and those battling mental health or addiction issues, to act as dealers.
Project ADDER Hits Back at Drug Crime
The arrest was part of the Home Office-backed Project ADDER, launched in 2021 to tackle drug-related crime across England and Wales. So far, the project has smashed over 600 organised crime groups, chalked up nearly 10,500 arrests, seized £3.5 million in cash, and helped 13,000 people with drug treatment.
Police Urge Public to Report Drug Activity
Eastbourne’s Chief Inspector Di Lewis praised the police’s crackdown on Pendley, calling his sentence a shield for the local community from a dangerous and intimidating thug. Sussex Police are urging anyone with info on drug dealing or cuckooing to come forward. You can report online, ring 101, or call 999 in emergencies. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
