Eleven sentenced for county lines drug offences

Eight people involved in running a heroin and crack cocaine drugs line in Norwich have been jailed for more than 25 years.

A total of 11 people were sentenced at Norwich Crown Court today (Tuesday 28 November) after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to running the ‘Lewis’ line, supplying and distributing heroin and crack cocaine in the Norwich area between December 2021 and June 2022.

The court heard how more than 67,000 calls were made, and 12,000 text messages sent from the Lewis line between December 2021 and June 2022. An estimated 4.3kg of Class A drugs were sold during that time, believed to have a street value of between £172,000 to £301,000.

Six people have been sentenced for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs:

• Liam Bolt, age 20, from Homelea Crescent, Lingwood was jailed for five years, seven months.
• Jamie Proctor, age 20, from Maidstone Road, Norwich was jailed for three years, nine months.
• Tyler Murphy, age 22, from Earlham Green Lane, Norwich was jailed for three years, nine months.
• Edward Quigley, age 23, from Petunia Court, Wymondham was jailed for three years, four months.
• Calvin Garwe, age 23, from The Ridings, Poringland, was jailed for two years, 146 days.
• Lee Cook, age 42, from Wilks Farm Drive, Sprowston was jailed for two years, three months.
• George Doyle, age 22, from King Street, Norwich was sentenced to one year 10 months in custody, suspended for 18 months.
• Scott Bodily, age 43, from Snowdrop Street, Wymondham was sentenced to two years in custody, suspended for 18 months.

Two people were jailed for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs:

• Nigel Bestford, age 44, from Munnings Road, Norwich was jailed for two years, four months
• Chloe Levy, age 33, from Munnings Road, Norwich was jailed for two years, 20 weeks 

Don Coughlin, age 52, from Lefroy Road, Norwich admitted allowing his premises to be used in the supply of Class A drugs. He was sentenced to seven months in custody, suspended for 18 months.

The court heard how the Lewis line would send out text messages to customers that they were “actv all day/night best of both”, meaning they were up and running for orders of crack cocaine and heroin.

Norfolk Constabulary’s County Line team began investigating in December 2021 after discovering a drugs phone was operating in Norwich supplying and distributing crack cocaine and heroin using the brand name ‘Lewis’.

Further surveillance and information revealed that drug dealing was taking place out of a flat in Burleigh Tower, Munnings Road, where Nigel Bestford and Chloe Levy lived. The pair were arrested on 11 January 2022 together with George Doyle, who threw drugs and cash off the property’s balcony when officers arrived.

Officers subsequently seized 13 wraps of heroin, two wraps of crack cocaine and £855 in cash from outside the building.

Following the police raid on Burleigh Tower, the line holders moved their dealing to a property in Smeat Steet, Bowthorpe. Officers carried out a warrant at the same address on 27 January 2022 and arrested Bodily, Proctor and Garwe. Another 28 wraps of heroin, eight wraps of crack cocaine and £1010 in cash were seized from Proctor. Garwe was also found to be in possession of a lock knife. 

Cook was also found to have been dealing from the Smeat Street address.

During their investigation, officers discovered Proctor was in a management position within the County Line gang, organising the others involved in street dealing.

Forensic analysis of mobile phone data revealed Liam Bolt controlled the Lewis line from December to May, then Tyler Murphy and finally, Edward Quigley.

Officers carried out a series of coordinated warrants on 7 June 2022 at locations across Norwich and Wymondham.

Bolt and Murphy were arrested at the home of Don Coughlan in Seaman Tower, Lefroy Road, Norwich, where officers also found 23 wraps of crack cocaine, 14 wraps of heroin, eight grip seal bags of cocaine and a total of £1,355 cash.

Quigley was arrested at his home in Wymondham and several mobile phones, connected to the Lewis drugs line, were seized by police. The phones showed evidence of the conspiracy between the defendants and contact between them. 

Detective Inspector Craig Bidwell, who oversaw the investigation said “This was a complex and lengthy investigation into a significant group of individuals responsible for distributing Class A drugs across Norwich.

“Class A drug dealing fuels serious criminality, destroys the lives of all involved and has a significant impact on our communities. Norfolk Police remain committed to identifying, locating, and pursuing those responsible for supplying drugs whilst supporting those who are vulnerable to exploitation.

“I would encourage anybody with concerns or information around drug supply to report this information to the police. You can contact us by telephone by calling 101, by visiting our website www.norfolk.police.uk or you can report information anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111”.