A County Lines gang which trafficked drugs valued at almost £250,000 from Coventry onto the streets of south Warwickshire towns have been jailed for a total of 45 years. 

The drugs network, which was brought down by the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) working with Warwickshire Local Police teams, included a man caught dealing while a young child was in the vehicle he was using.

The gang operated through two Covid-19 lockdowns from January 2019 to July 2020 and are believed to have supplied at least 2.5kg of crack cocaine and heroin into Stratford-upon-Avon and Royal Leamington Spa.

Officers found hundreds of marketing messages sent to users from their main drugs hotline, including ones saying "Come and get ur tackle, still in stock. Best of both" and another advertising "Active around the clock. Best in town."

Levi Pollard-Mersom ran the line which used the brand names Kano and CJ.

Police said he exploited addicts to run the drugs, carry out the street deals, and also 'cuckooed' homes of vulnerable people to use as supply bases.

Drugs seized by officers (image via West Midlands Police)

The 29-year-old was arrested while drug dealing from a Ford Fiesta in a car park on the outskirts of Stratford-on-Avon on 19 June, 2020. 

A one-year-old child was also in the car from which police recovered cocaine and heroin. 

WMP said it made sure the young child was safeguarded, along with a 17-year-old girl, who was also in the car with them.

Jordan Hill, aged 31, was another senior member of the gang. He managed deliveries, controlled others, and took orders on the County Line.

Pollard-Mersom's brother, 20-year-old Paul Walker, initially helped deliver and store drugs, and later took ownership of the line after Pollard-Mersom was arrested.

While Lewis Kerr, aged 29, acted as transport and muscle for the group and was looking to expand the line into Rugby.

Kieron Hill, aged 23, Nell Desnousse, aged 22, Hasum Makalo, 18, Gary Brown, 19, and 36-year-old Amy Lamb all acted as drugs runners.

Pollard-Mersom, Kieron and Jordan Hill, Lamb and Desnousse all admitted conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin, while Walker and Kerr were both found guilty following trial.

And at Warwick Crown Court on Friday (18 November) they were jailed for a total of 45 years and four months between them.

From left Kieron Hill, Neil Desnousse and Amy Lamb (image via West Midlands Police)

Pollard-Mersom was given 12 years and nine months, with Judge Cook highlighting his use of violence and his cuckooing of vulnerable people.

Walker was given ten years, Kieron Hill was jailed for eight years and three months, and Kerr, seven years.

Lamb, who the judge said had been actively engaging with customers during lockdown, was jailed for five years and six months, while Desnousse, described as a busy foot soldier, got 22 months. 

Jordan Hill will be sentenced on 13 December, and Brown and Makalo had previously been sentenced and are serving jail terms of five years eight months, and six years, respectively.

ROCU Detective Inspector Julie Woods, said: "This was a classic County Lines operation. Pollard-Mersom was in charge from a distance, making up to £1,500 per day, and controlled the others through violence, threats and reputation.

"He made most of the money but exposed himself to very little risk, while the drug runners faced the very real danger of being attacked with weapons, by rival gangs or being arrested on the street.

"During the investigation we recovered more than 1,000 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine plus nearly £10,000 in cash. 

"The men in charge of this operation have shown themselves as callous individuals driven by greed and were happy to make money on others' suffering.

"They have rightly been handed lengthy jail sentences."