MEMBERS of a County Lines gang which trafficked drugs valued at almost £250,000 in Leamington and Stratford have been jailed for a total of 45 years.
The gang, which was brought down by the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) working with Warwickshire Police, included a man caught dealing while a young child was in the vehicle he was using.
The gang operated through two Covid lockdowns from January 2019 to July 2020 and are believed to have supplied at least 2.5kg of crack cocaine and heroin into Leamington and Stratford.
Levi Pollard-Mersom ran the gang which used the brand names Kano and CJ.
He exploited addicts to run the drugs, carry out the street deals, and also ‘cuckooed’ homes of vulnerable people to use as supply bases.
The 29-year-old was arrested while drug dealing from a Ford Fiesta in a car park on the outskirts of Stratford in June 2020.
A one-year-old baby was also in the car from which we recovered cocaine and heroin. Police ensured the baby was safeguarded, along with a 17-year-old girl, who was also in the car.
Jordan Hill, aged 31, was another senior member of the gang. He managed deliveries, controlled others, carried out violent acts, and took orders.
Pollard-Mersom’s brother, 20-year-old Paul Walker, initially helped deliver and store drugs, and later took control of the gang after Pollard-Mersom’s arrest.
While Lewis Kerr, aged 29, acted as transport and muscle for the group and was looking to expand operations into Rugby.
From left: Kieron Hill, Nell Desnousse and Amy Lamb.
Kieron Hill, aged 23, Nell Desnousse, aged 22, Hasum Makalo, 18, Gary Brown, 19, and 36-year-old Amy Lamb all acted as drugs runners.
Pollard-Mersom, Kieron and Jordan Hill, Lamb and Desnousse all admitted conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin, while Walker and Kerr were both found guilty following trial.
And at Warwick Crown Court they were jailed for a total of 45 years and four months between them.
Pollard-Mersom got 12 years and nine months, with the judge highlighting his use of violence and his cuckooing of vulnerable people.
Walker got ten years, Kieron Hill was jailed for eight years and three months, and Kerr, seven years.
Lamb, who the judge said had been actively engaging with customers during lockdown, was jailed for five years and six months, while Desnousse, described as a busy foot soldier, got 22 months.
Jordan Hill will be sentenced ext month, and Brown and Makalo had previously been sentenced and are serving jail terms of five years eight months, and six years, respectively.
ROCU Det Insp Julie Woods, said: “This was a classic County Lines operation. Pollard-Mersom was in charge from a distance, making up to £1,500 per day, and controlled the others through violence, threats and reputation.
“He made most of the money but exposed himself to very little risk, while the drug runners faced the very real danger of being attacked with weapons, by rival gangs or being arrested on the street.
“During the investigation we recovered more than 1,000 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine plus nearly £10,000 in cash.
“The men in charge of this operation have shown themselves as callous individuals driven by greed and were happy to make money on others’ suffering.
“They have rightly been handed lengthy jail sentences.”
