Two county lines drug dealers have been sentenced to a total of ten years for trafficking drugs into Herefordshire. Harnaik Mahli, 44, from Quinton, Birmingham, and Keller Preece, 27, from Kingsway, Hereford, were found guilty at Worcester Crown Court on September 10.
The duo was operating a well-established county line, a network used for organized drug dealing, distributing cocaine and cannabis in the area for substantial profit. Mahli was at the top of the operation, supplying Preece, who managed the day-to-day activities and had others working under him.
On November 10, 2023, police, acting on intelligence, stopped a vehicle in Hereford and found Preece with around £14,000 in cash. A search of his home revealed a large quantity of cannabis, an additional £3,500 in cash, and an extendable baton. Evidence from his phone confirmed his involvement in drug dealing, leading to charges for supplying cocaine and cannabis, possession of an offensive weapon, and possession of criminal property.
On February 13, police responded to reports that Mahli and Preece were in Hereford using weapons to settle a drug debt. They were stopped nearby, and a wooden bat was discovered in their vehicle. Preece was aggressive with officers and attempted to flee, pushing one officer before being arrested.
In court, Preece was convicted of supplying class A drugs (cocaine), receiving a four-year sentence. He also faced additional charges for supplying class B drugs (cannabis), possessing an offensive weapon, causing criminal damage, and assaulting an emergency worker, resulting in an additional 18-month sentence, totaling five years and six months.
Mahli was sentenced to three years and four months for supplying cocaine and an additional 18 months for supplying cannabis, amounting to four years and ten months after accounting for previous time served.
Detective Constable Lia Williams of Hereford CID expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, emphasizing that the removal of Mahli and Preece disrupts local drug trafficking and alleviates public fear.
