Melton men sentenced for roles in major County Lines drugs gang

Tom Woodworth (38) was jailed for four years and three months and 44-year-old Alan Reynolds, of Longwill Avenue, received a two-year suspended prison sentence, when they appeared with other gang members at Nottingham Crown Court.

The police investigation found the gang had recruited young children to transport their drugs, including one 13-year-old boy who was discovered locked in a house in Melton after being reported missing.

Officers made the initial breakthrough in the case back in June 2, 2022, when they stopped a car as it headed out of Nottinghamshire on the A46 – packages full of heroin and cocaine were discovered inside.

Four men were arrested at the scene – one attempted to flee carrying a parcel containing more than 100 wraps of Class A drugs and two others tried to throw drug packages into a nearby bin.

Nottinghamshire Police began a major investigation which revealed a County Line running from Nottingham to various areas in neighbouring Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.

Drugs were being sold in bulk using a mobile phone line and vulnerable people and children were being exploited to act as ‘runners’ to transport them.

Detectives were able to prove the involvement of multiple offenders through CCTV footage and mobile phone downloads.

A further breakthrough was achieved when officers in Melton Mowbray were called with concerns about a teenage boy who had been reported missing and his image circulated on social media.

The boy was spotted by a member of the public in a supermarket with a local drug user, identified as Woodworth.

Officers attended Woodworth’s home and the boy was found to be locked inside the property.

When officers analysed the boy’s mobile phone they found messages received from the County Line.

Woodworth was described in court as a ‘hapless addict’ but someone who had knowledge of the scale of the enterprise – Judge Mark Watson said he was fully aware young people were being exploited.

The court heard Reynolds was a ‘paid driver’ who transported dealers and had some knowledge of the overall conspiracy but a limited role.

Det Con Charlie Sylvester, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “As so often with these conspiracies, some of the individuals involved were also being exploited themselves by those higher up the chain.

“There was evidence, however, that several members of this gang were living lavish lifestyles funded by the misery of others.

“This gang was a typical County Line business model, with drug dealers exploiting vulnerable young people to do their dirty work while they made large profits.

“Children as young as 13 were encouraged to travel to places some distance away, and which they did not know, to transport and sell drugs.

“It exposed them to multiple dangers which children should never be subjected to."

Officers discovered drugs, weapons, cash and high-value items when they carried out raids on properties in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.

A total of nine offenders have now been sentenced after being convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

The longest sentence – 12 years prison – was given to 23-year-old Keanan Frazer, who was described by the judge as playing a leading role.