Three county lines dealers ran a drugs network from a disabled person's Gravesend home.

Prince Okachukwu, 23, of Salmon Road, Belvedere, was controlling the network, while Luther Parker, 20, of Kentlea Road, Thamesmead, and Che Williams, 19, of Newmarsh Road, Thamesmead, acted as runners for him.

In 2019 the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate began an investigation into a county lines drug network, known as 'the Frank line', operating in Gravesend; and on May 29 officers checking on a vulnerable adult discovered Parker at an address in Gravesend.

County lines dealing is where city-based gangs run narcotics into commuter towns to reach new markets, whereas using vulnerable people's homes as hubs is known as cuckooing.

When searched, Parker was in found to be in possession of crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, over £400 and a mobile phone.

A few weeks later on June 15, plain clothed patrols witnessed a suspected drug deal taking place near York Road; and subsequent enquiries led to Williams being discovered in a nearby address where officers seized two mobile phones, £140 and a package of crack cocaine and heroin.

Following the arrests of Parker and Williams, mobile phone data led investigators to Okachukwu who was orchestrating the network from his home, and he was arrested at an address in Woolwich on July 17.

Okachukwu and Williams pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class crack cocaine and heroin; while Parker denied the charges but was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court.

All were sentenced on Friday February 7, Okachukwu receiving four years’ imprisonment, Williams receiving two and a half years’ imprisonment, and Parker sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

Officer in charge of the case, Detective Constable Terry Hanlon said: "The Frank line was operating across Gravesend with Okachukwu leading the dealing and Parker and Williams running the drugs for him.

"The trio had complete disregard for the vulnerable in the community, with Parker cuckooing the address of a disabled person in order to use it as a base to sell drugs. A complex investigation led to officers being able to breakdown the network, putting a stop to the despicable behaviour of these three men and taking more dealers of the streets of Gravesham."

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