County lines drug dealer jailed for five years
Sussex PoliceA man has been jailed for supplying heroin and crack cocaine as part of a county drugs line operating in Kent and East Sussex.
Ammar Hroub, 25, from St Leonards, was found to have topped up a phone associated with the drug network. After being arrested, police discovered the drugs in a car he was linked to, Sussex Police said.
Hroub denied being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, possession with intent to supply the drugs, and possession of criminal property. A jury convicted him unanimously of all drug supply offences.
He was sentenced to five years in prison at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday. He was cleared of possession of criminal property.
Hroub also admitted possession of MDMA, an offence he had previously pleaded guilty to.
Sussex Police said they discovered the county lines operation in the summer of 2023 and found the number after looking through a drug user's phone.
The number was found to have sent drug marketing messages to a number of people more than 200 times between November 2022 and August 2023, they said.
'Numerous occasions'
The force added the drug phone had been topped up at a shop in the St Leonards area and CCTV showed Hroub conducting the transaction.
Sussex Police also said that officers found 71 wraps of crack cocaine and 59 wraps of diamorphine (heroin) in the BMW linked to Hroub, along with 470g of loose diamorphine. The drugs had a combined value of £1,770.
The MDMA and £390 in cash was found on Hroub when he was arrested.
His DNA was found on packaging containing the heroin and crack cocaine and data showed the drug phone and Hroub's personal mobile travelled together from East Sussex to London and back via Kent on "numerous occasions" during the offending period.
In court he claimed his phone, the drug phone and his vehicle had been taken by someone else and that this person was responsible for sending the bulk marketing messages. The jury rejected these claims.
The judge ordered for the drugs and mobile phones to be destroyed, and the recovered money to be split between charity and Sussex Police.
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