Jailed: East Ham county line drug dealer caught in Dagenham

A county line drug dealer from East Ham who sold heroin and crack cocaine has been jailed after being caught in Dagenham.

Darryl Addae, 28, was identified by police as the man behind the ‘Alex’ line, which supplied drugs in Ashford, Kent.

He was arrested at a property in Dagenham on January 21 after the car that he used to transport drugs was located there.

Addae, of Kensington Avenue, later admitted two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

He was jailed for five years and seven months at Maidstone Crown Court last Thursday (April 7).

Det Con Andrew Julier, of Kent Police’s county lines and gangs team, said: "As this case suggests, the people targeting vulnerable drug users in Kent are often the same people trying to traffic drugs to other parts of the country.

"I am pleased the quick investigative work carried out by local officers in Ashford and by my team has led to the prompt arrest of this man and the shutting down of a county line network which would otherwise be bringing drugs into Kent."

The investigation began after local police in Ashford became aware of messages being sent to drug users offering heroin and crack cocaine in November and December last year.

Detectives then identified a silver Ford Focus was being used to take drugs from east London to Kent.

When officers carried out a warrant at the address in Dagenham, Addae ran from the back door but was arrested.

Scales, cash and phones were also found at the property, which police say suggested the county line was also supplying drugs in Northamptonshire.