Gillingham dealer jailed following two arrests in a month

A Gillingham drug dealer has been jailed following two arrests in quick succession.

Henry Okoh continued to supply cocaine to users throughout the town, even when he had been previously charged and had appeared before court.   

Enforcement action involving Okoh first took place on Monday 3 October 2022, when a search warrant was executed by Kent Police’s County Line and Gangs Team at an address in Rainham Road.

The 31-year-old was arrested at the premises and taken into custody. Officers also seized seven wraps of cocaine.

A short while later, a second search was completed at a property connected to Okoh in Balmoral Road, where further quantities of cocaine and herbal cannabis were seized along with two sets of digital scales and more than £3,500 in cash.

He was charged with drugs supply offences and pleaded guilty the following day at Medway Magistrates' Court.

The court granted him conditional bail, pending sentencing, but he carried on offending. 

Caught again by proactive patrols 

On 19 October, a patrol stopped a car he was driving in Gillingham town centre. A search recovered quantities of cannabis and cocaine and he was arrested.

His passenger, Chloe Caseley was also detained and found to be in possession of five deals of cocaine.

Okoh of Medway Drive, Gillingham was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday 7 March 2023, having pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing cocaine with intent to supply, a charge of possessing cannabis with intent to supply and driving without a licence or insurance.

He was jailed for three years and six months. His driving licence was also endorsed with 10 points.

Caseley, aged 26, also of Medway Drive, Gillingham pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply. She was sentenced to one year in prison suspended for two years. Caseley will have to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. 

Blight on society

Investigating officer, Detective Constable John Carless, said: ‘This dealer was arrested and charged but rather than learning his lesson carried on supplying cocaine and cannabis, and was swiftly detained again. ‘These criminals are a blight on our society and peddle hard drugs to users who commit further crime to fund their habit. Okoh is now starting a prison sentence and the cash we seized has been forfeited.’