Three people have been charged as part of a police investigation into a county lines drug network operating in Stevenage.
Officers from the Operation Mantis team, supported by officers from Operation Scorpion and Safer Neighbourhood teams, carried out warrants at several addresses across London on Wednesday, October 27.
Dreyon Ford, 20, of Minet Avenue in Brent, Daniel Bamfo, 18 - of Woodstock Gardens in Ilford - and Isahaq Nur, 20 - of Vicarage Road in Tottenham - were arrested and later charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs and possession with intent to supply class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin).
The men were also charged with human trafficking offences related to the exploitation of a 15-year-old boy from Tring, allegedly coerced into selling drugs in Stevenage on their behalf.
All three have been remanded into custody to appear in court on November 29.
Detective Sergeant Jon Leak, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s specialist County Lines Op Mantis team, said: “We are constantly working to tackle those who are involved in County Lines gangs and their associated drug dealing and criminality.
"These gang members do not hesitate to use violence and exploit the vulnerable, often recruiting children online via social media, to run drugs.
"They take over the homes of vulnerable people in the community – known as ‘cuckooing’ - to use it as a base to run their drug dealing operations from.
“Although Hertfordshire does not have a major problem with county lines, it is a growing national issue that we are determined to tackle through early disruption.”
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