A 27-year-old man from Ealing has been jailed for over three years after admitting to running a County Lines drug operation, with officers discovering crack cocaine, heroin, and a concealed knife during a stop-and-search in Richmond.
Elijah Henry-Gooding, of Tavistock Avenue, Ealing, was sentenced to 38 months in prison at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on Thursday, 10 April, after pleading guilty to multiple drug offences and possession of a bladed article.
Caught at Richmond Station
The court heard that on Tuesday, 30 July 2024, Henry-Gooding was stopped by plainclothes officers from British Transport Police (BTP) in Richmond, following intelligence that linked him to a suspected County Lines operation. Officers believed he had been travelling regularly to the area to sell drugs at the station and nearby locations.
During the stop-and-search, Henry-Gooding was found with:
- £760 in cash
- Two mobile phones, one of which was a Nokia burner phone confirmed to be the drugs line
He was arrested on the spot for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.
Drugs and Knife Found in Custody
While in custody, a strip search revealed a clingfilmed package hidden in his underwear containing:
- 64 wraps of crack cocaine
- 37 wraps of heroin
Additionally, officers discovered a concealed folding lock knife, further elevating the seriousness of the charges.
Henry-Gooding pleaded guilty to:
- Two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs
- Possession of a bladed article
- Three counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs
Police: “A Criminal Mastermind Brought Down”
Speaking after the sentencing, Sergeant Julian Mason, who oversaw the investigation, said:
“Now that Henry-Gooding is behind bars, Richmond and its surrounding communities can breathe a sigh of relief that a prolific drug dealer is off the streets along with the illegal substances he was peddling.”
“Henry-Gooding believed he was a criminal mastermind and above the law, but once again the work of our County Lines Taskforce proves that we will stop at nothing in dismantling and disrupting the menace of drug and knife crime on the railway.”
The sentencing marks another success for the BTP County Lines Taskforce, which continues to crack down on the transport-linked drug trade plaguing London and beyond.
Anyone with information about drug dealing on the railway can report it anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or text British Transport Police on 61016.
