By Stephen Briggs
Dominic Bevilacqua Jailed for County Lines Drug Dealing
A county lines drug dealer, Dominic Bevilacqua, has been sentenced to three years and three months in prison for his role in supplying Class A drugs between Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. Bevilacqua, 23, was arrested during a dawn raid at his home in Broadway, Crowland, as part of Operation Hypernova, a police operation aimed at disrupting county lines drug dealing and human trafficking.
The raid took place on February 13, when police seized three mobile phones, one of which was linked to the ‘Dom’ drugs line that Bevilacqua used to advertise and supply drugs. Officers also discovered 16 cannabis plants growing in an upstairs bedroom, with an estimated street value of up to £13,000.
Bevilacqua was found guilty of multiple offences, including being concerned in the supply of cocaine, production of cannabis, three counts of assault by beating, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, and attempting to pervert the course of public justice. He had previously pleaded guilty to these charges, which were linked to his drug-dealing activities.
At Peterborough Crown Court on May 24, Bevilacqua was sentenced to three years and three months in prison for his criminal actions. Detective Constable Jeremy Turner, who led the investigation, expressed his satisfaction with the sentence, stating: “Bevilacqua’s actions caused significant harm to vulnerable drug users, and he profited from exploiting them by trafficking drugs across counties. He sent hundreds of messages offering cocaine and cannabis for sale, pocketing the cash from his illegal activities.”
Operation Hypernova, which was carried out across Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, saw the dismantling of 51 county lines and resulted in 33 people being charged with 93 drug and human trafficking offences.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts by police to tackle county lines drug trafficking and disrupt organized crime groups who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit.