Two men who exploited children in a county lines drugs ring have been jailed.
Officers from Operation Orochi, the Met’s specialist crime team, raided an address in Hatfield on January 18, 2022 and found two missing boys, aged 14 and 15.
A short while later, in Streatham, detectives detained twin brothers Omar and Malik Aziz, 24, near their home in Eastwood Street.
A mobile phone and black gloves were seized from Malik Aziz.
The phone was found to be the number for a Hatfield drugs line that had been directing children to supply drugs on their behalf and sending out bulk SMS messages advertising crack cocaine and heroin for sale.
Officers searched their home and found a bag containing a pistol, eight rounds of ammunition and more than £2,000 in cash and a zombie knife.
CCTV footage recovered from the home of Malik and Omar Aziz showed the two missing children attend the premises before they went missing.
Detective Constable Dec James, the investigating officer from Operation Orochi, said: “County lines drug dealers exploit young and vulnerable people to facilitate their drug supply.
“They hope that by using vulnerable children as drugs runners they will shield themselves from identification and prosecution by law enforcement.
“This is because frequently, these exploited persons are too scared to assist police.”
The driving licence of Samir Mustafa, 24, of Stone Street, Reading was also seized.
Mustafa was arrested the following day after being identified as the person physically transporting the children to and from Hatfield. He was found in Crawford Place, Westminster.
The two children were referred to the children’s services departments of respective local authorities.
The three men were sentenced at Kingston Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty at the same court.
Malik Aziz was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and possession of a firearm.
Omar Aziz was sentenced to three years and two months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
Mustafa was sentenced to two years and three months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
All three were also issued with 10-year criminal behaviour orders
Picture top: From left, Omar Aziz, Malik Aziz and Samir Mustafa (Picture: The Met)
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