County lines dealer who threw drugs in duck pond is jailed

A county lines dealer who threw a package of drugs into a duck pond when confronted by police has been jailed.

Newton Umukoro was arrested by Kent Police officers in Radnor Park, Folkestone on Thursday 13 August 2020.

The 22-year-old, of Landstead Road, Plumstead, south-east London, was later charged with and admitted supplying class A drugs, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possessing criminal property.

He was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday 18 September.

Police officers working in Radnor Park approached Umukoro after seeing him meeting people they knew to be local drug users.

He was seen throwing a package into a nearby pond, which when recovered, was found to contain crack cocaine and heroin with a street value of up to £1,100.

When searched, he was found to have £1,900 in cash, several mobile phones and cannabis on him. Messages found on the phone showed Umukoro was working for the 'Rocco' county line.

County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

Detective Constable Jake Griffiths, Kent Police's investigating officer, said: 'Umukoro had come to Folkestone solely to exploit the town's vulnerable drug users to profit a criminal group.

'The drugs peddled by county lines groups cause knock-on anti-social behaviour, crime and other problems in the communities they are brought into.

'The message from Kent Police is clear: If you come into the county to sell drugs, you will be caught and are likely to end up in jail like this defendant.'