Two men sentenced after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs in Winchester

Two men have been jailed for a total of 9 years for being part of a County Lines conspiracy to supply Class A drugs in Winchester.

Jason Onyewumbu, 28, of Shelgate Road in Wandsworth, and Brandon Terry Kane, 24, of Garratt Lane in Wandsworth, were arrested in September 2020 after a joint investigation between Hampshire Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police Service.

Appearing at Southampton Crown County on Thursday, 3 June, both plead guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Onyewumbu was jailed for six years, and Brandon Kane was sentenced to three years and one month imprisonment.

The court heard how Onyewumbu and Kane had supplied heroin and cocaine to users in Winchester through a dedicated telephone number referred to as the “OLLIE” line. This network would use vulnerable people to supply drugs to users in the city.

An extensive investigation into the activity of the drug network by officers in five warrants conducted simultaneously at address connected to Onyewumbu and Kane.

The searches revealed a quantity of Class A drugs worth an estimated £82,000, as well as £6,000 in cash.

This was a first joint investigations into county lines dealing under Op Monument - Hampshire Constabulary’s local response to tackling county lines and Operation Orochi, led by the Metropolitan Police into county lines dealing.

Speaking after the sentencing, District Commander Chief Inspector Jon Turton said: “I would like to thank the officers, staff, and our colleagues in the Metropolitan Police Service for their determination and professionalism in this investigation.

“Investigations such as these require painstaking work to ensure those responsible are put behind bars, not just those who are at the bottom of the chain.

“I hope this sentencing goes to show that we will do everything we can to stop Winchester being targeted by violent drugs networks because we know the harm and misery they cause to our communities.

“We can’t tackle this problem alone but with the help of our communities, we can take action against those intent on breaking the law.

“If you have any concerns about drug-related activity in your area, please contact us on 101.”

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Graham McNulty, of the Metropolitan Police Service, said: “The majority of the public may believe county lines does not have a wider impact on the communities of London, but the consequences of this type of criminality should not be underestimated.

“We see a significant amount of violence, often chaotic violence involving young people, linked to county lines. That’s why disrupting the supply of drugs through all routes continues to form a central part of our work to tackle violence on the streets of London.”