A Swindon dealer has been convicted for his involvement in a County Lines gang that trafficked children to move drugs across the UK, including in Wiltshire.
Gulam Izdani, 22, from Toothill, was among the group distributing heroin and cocaine via mobile phones, acting as a contact point for drug customers. The gang operated across multiple regions, including Wiltshire, with leader Brian Asante, 23, at the helm.
Asante, who ran the operation from addresses in Wolverhampton and Stafford, was caught after posing with piles of cash on social media. The gang operated under the “AB Line” and “Jay Line,” recruiting children to carry drugs as they moved them across the country.
Asante admitted to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and was found guilty of child exploitation. Between February and September 2021, the gang supplied drugs from locations spanning Staffordshire, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, and beyond.
The operation was eventually dismantled after extensive police work across several forces, including Staffordshire Police, Northampton Police, and Police Scotland. Detective Sergeant Gavin McGrath from the West Midlands Police County Lines Taskforce said, “This was a complex network that trafficked large quantities of heroin and cocaine. We were able to safeguard two children exploited by the gang.”
Investigators seized phones and SIM cards that connected the gang members and showed messages about drug availability and trafficking locations. Phone data revealed Asante’s direct involvement in exploiting children, and a Snapchat message was traced to him involving one of the trafficked minors.
During the investigation, police found an image of Asante posing with a pile of cash and a bottle of alcohol. Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) also helped trace the vehicles used by the gang.
In addition to Izdani, six other gang members were convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. The convicted individuals include Meghan Lawrence, 21, from Birmingham, Emma Gill, 42, from Wolverhampton, Dhillon Swarn, 20, from Bloxwich, Simon McTaggart, 38, from Wolverhampton, and Maurice Reid, 55, from Burton-upon-Trent.
James Carroll, 46, from Corby, was convicted of facilitating travel for a child for the purpose of exploitation, while Alicia Cox, 25, from Bilbrook, was convicted for assisting the group by transporting a child to sell drugs.
This conviction highlights the growing threat of County Lines operations and the exploitation of vulnerable children to traffic drugs across towns and cities.