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A man and a woman have been jailed for a total of seven years following a British Transport Police sting which revealed they were controlling a drugs line involving a child.
Following a lengthy investigation both Karen Seddon, aged 38, of Hassocks Gate, West Sussex and Peace Bello, aged 21, of HM YOI Onley pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, forced labour and human trafficking.
They were sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on Friday 21 June.
Bello was jailed for four years eight months and Seddon must serve two years and four months behind bars.
Both must pay a victim surcharge of £228.
Dubbed Operation Verdin by British Transport Police County Lines task force detectives, the court heard how on 22 September 2022 a 15 year old boy was spotted by officers at London Bridge station looking dishevelled and vulnerable.
When they engaged with him he claimed to officers he had been staying with a friend.
Safeguarding procedures were immediately implemented and the child admitted to be carrying heroin.
Days later, officers raided an address and arrested Seddon and Bello for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery offences. Bello was found to be in possession of a county line drugs line at the time of arrest.
Detective Inspector Matt Davies from the BTP County Lines Task Force said: “We will relentlessly target those crime groups who cowardly exploit vulnerable people and children. “Working alongside our colleagues from other forces enhances our capabilities to catch those orchestrating these County Lines.
"Our County Lines Task Force works hard to tackle drugs on the railway network and to protect children and vulnerable adults who are often exploited by gangs into selling or moving drugs.
“This result should send a powerful message to those involved in this sort of activity - we will find you; you will be arrested, and we will disrupt the distribution of drugs by County Lines dealers.”