Three people have been jailed following a detailed investigation into drug dealing in Dorset.
Kadeem Abbrey, 24 and of Bittern Court, Edward Street in Deptford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine on Thursday 5 January 2017 at Bournemouth Crown Court.
Sophie Bowen, 19 and of Percival Terrace in Brighton and Stephan Broome, 59 and of Princess Road in Bridport, were found guilty of conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine following a 13-day trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.
The trio were sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 10 March 2017. Abbrey received a seven-year prison sentence, Bowen was jailed for three years and Broome handed two years behind bars.
The court heard that Abbrey would travel to the South West from London to supply heroin and cocaine to drug users in Poole, Dorchester and Bridport as well as Yeovil in Somerset. He was often joined by his girlfriend Bowen and the pair permanently moved to Yeovil before settling in the Dorset area in October 2015 to further the operation.
The court was told that Abbrey would send a large amount of text messages to local drug users on a daily basis to advertise drugs for sale.
He and Bowen would also use the train network to return to London in order to re-stock on Class A drugs to sell in Dorset. Between October 2015 and February 2016, Abbrey made ten trips to London and Bowen made 26 trips to London by train, the court heard.
As Abbrey was disqualified from driving, he would get Broome to drive both him and Bowen around, including picking them up and dropping them off at train stations in order to facilitating re-stocking with their drugs from London.
The court was told that on 7 January 2016 Bowen was observed by police officers to be involved in what were suspected drug exchanges in Abbeywood, London, before returning to Dorset. Broome was also seen on 2 December 2015 and 5 January 2016 in what were suspected drug exchanges in Bridport when drug users approached his vehicle for short period of times before walking away.
In January 2016 Bowen was spotted entering a previous address of Abbrey’s in Granville Park, Lewisham. Two days later a drugs warrant was executed and 115 wraps of heroin and 56 wraps of cocaine valued at £1,710 were recovered. DNA found on the drugs wrapping matched that of Bowen.
On Friday 7 October 2016, Abbrey was arrested at his home address in London. He was found to be in possession of 122 wraps of cocaine and 63 wraps of heroin worth £1,250.
Bowen was arrested on 15 January 2016 and Broome was arrested on 10 March 2016.
Officer in the case Detective Constable Charlotte Wickenden, of the Southwest Regional Organised Crime Unit Zephyr, said: “We have worked successfully with Dorset Police and the Crown Prosecution Service in order to complete a sustained and complex investigation over a period of six months.
“This organised crime group has exploited vulnerable members of the Dorset community in order to fund their drug operation. We hope this result demonstrates that we will actively seek those who choose a life of crime in illegal drug activity and demonstrates our commitment to dismantle, disrupt and destroy organised crime in the South West.
“We welcome the sentences passed by the court today and believe that it reflects the seriousness and level of criminality displayed by Kadeem Abbrey and his co-conspirators.”
Police Inspector Mike Darby, of Dorset Police, said: “In early 2015 Bridport experienced a dramatic increase in drug-related activity, which included acquisitive and violent crime, stemming from the noticeable increase in drug dealing on the streets of Bridport.
“Since identifying the problem, police executed over 30 search warrants and worked alongside partners such as the local authority and housing associations in an attempt to tackle the issue.
“The convictions of Abbrey, Bowen and Broome illustrate the continuing work that Dorset Police and specialist teams such as Zephyr do on a local and regional basis.
“We are committed to tackling the misuse and supply of controlled drugs in Dorset and I would like to thank Bridport residents for their support in telling us when suspicious activity was taking place.
“Additionally I would like to highlight the outstanding work by officers from Bridport Neighbourhood Policing Team who were robust and committed in targeting these criminals over many months. Their efforts led to the gathering of intelligence which assisted specialist Zephyr detectives who took on this complex investigation.”
