Leading member of County Lines gang jailed for trafficking drugs worth £250,000

Jordan Hill, a key member of a County Lines gang, which trafficked drugs valued at almost £250,000 from Coventry onto the streets of tourist towns, has been jailed.

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 from January 2019 to July 2020, through COVID lockdown, and are believed to have supplied at least 2.5kg of crack cocaine and heroin into Stratford-upon-Avon and Royal Leamington Spa.

Police described Hill as a “significant member” of the crime gang, and revealed they had 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”, while another read: “Active around the clock. Best in town.”

“Jordan Hill, aged 33, was a senior player in the gang, managing deliveries, controlling others, carrying out violent acts, and taking orders,” police confirmed.

During the case, several vulnerable people were safeguarded, including a 17 year old girl and a one-year-old baby.

Hill admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday (26 January) and was sentenced to 12 years and six months jail.

Previously, eight other members of the gang had been jailed for a combined total of 56 years.

“Those in charge of the operation did it from distance, making up to £1,500 per day, and controlled others through violence, threats and reputation,” West Midlands Police reported.

“The drug runners faced attack with weapons, by rival gangs or being arrested on the street.

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

During sentencing on Friday, His Honour Judge Cooke acknowledged that Hill was regarded as playing a leading role at times and he was a line manager to others, one in particular only 17 years of age.

The judge commented further that this case involved the cuckooing of vulnerable people and noted that Hill used violence on occasion.