TWO class A drug dealers have been locked up for a total of more than six years following another successful result by the West Operation Raptor team.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how officers from the team were patrolling in the Longfields area of Harlow on Thursday January 12 this year when they noticed a number of individuals leaving a property known to be linked to the supply of drugs.
After one man who left the house ran off when approached by officers, they went into the property and carried out a search.
Inside they found 25-year-old Ajaun Riley and 25-year-old Ishmail Kelly preparing small blue wraps of drugs on a bed. A one-year-old child was present in the room at the time.
The pair and the room were search and officers found 96 wraps of Crack Cocaine and 24 wraps of heroin. Kelly also £345 cash in his pocket.
A search of the house also uncovered: various mobile phones; scales and bags used to weigh and package drugs; more than £1,600 in cash; and a CS gas canister.
Riley of Hood Close, Croydon admitted two counts of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court. He was jailed for two years eight months.
Ishmail, 25, from Camberwell in South London was found guilty following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court of two counts of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply. He was jailed for three years six months.
Following the sentencing Sgt James Paget of the West Operation Raptor team said: “Given the amount of Class A drugs found in the property along with Kelly and Riley, it was clearly being used as a base for their dealing operation.
“They were found in a bedroom packaging drugs ready to be sold on the streets with little to no regard for the child present.
“Thankfully we have now removed them from the community which they are blighting and they are now safely behind bars.”
An 18-year-old woman from South East London, an 18-year-old man and a 22-year-old man, all arrested at the time, have not been charged.
During the month of May officers across the West of Essex made 21 arrests, recovered £48,400 of criminal cash, charged eight people with drug-related offences, searched five properties, seized £40,000 worth of cocaine and 165 cannabis plants.
Det Insp James Freeman said: “Across the West of Essex our teams are continuing to achieve significant results, disrupting drug-dealing and gang-related crime and are continuing to make the streets safer.
“I would urge the community to continue to support us by making sure they tell us about drug or gang related crime in their area. These results show that we do and will take action.”
If you have information about drug or gang-related crime in your community contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Essex Police set up Operation Raptor teams in the North, South and West of the county to tackle drug and gang-related crime.