Gravesend county line dismantled with four jailed

The remaining members of a criminal gang responsible for running a county line into Gravesend have been jailed.

Michael Olarabiro (left in image) and Tia Henry were selling crack cocaine and heroin as part of a network known as the G-line.

Their supply chain involved at least two other dealers and all four have now been sentenced to a total of almost 12 years’ imprisonment. 

Phone evidence key

The line was in operation between June and September 2022, but quickly came to the attention of police who became aware of bulk messages from a mobile phone advertising drugs for sale.

On 3 August, constables on patrol in Gravesend approached Olarabiro who attempted to flee and discard a phone. He was arrested and the device recovered.

Checks revealed it was the phone used to distribute the marketing messages. A second phone seized also contained evidence Olarabiro had been coordinating drugs supply with Tia Henry, and she was arrested days later.

New lines also cracked by police

Both were charged and remanded in custody, however the G -line continued to operate with new phone numbers set up.

The investigation continued and established the involvement of James Adodo (top right in image) and Sharif Flanders (bottom right).

They were both arrested in September and were in possession of phones linking them to the line. Officers also recovered 124 wraps of Class A drugs from an address linked to Flanders in Gravesend. 

Guilty pleas

All four admitted occupying a role in drugs supply offences.

Olarabiro, 21, of Berkley Road, Gravesend was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday 31 January 2023, to three years and six months after admitting two counts of being concerned in the supply of drugs.

Henry, 40, of Lewisham Way, Brockley, London was also convicted of these charges and sentenced the same day to 18 months.

The other two were previously jailed last year. Adodo, 22, of St Martin's Road, Dartford was convicted of two counts of being concerned in the supply of drugs. He was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on 25 October 2022, to three years.

Flanders, 26, of no fixed address was dealt with at Maidstone Crown Court and admitted two counts of being concerned in the supply of drugs as well as two further counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply and possession of criminal property. He was sentenced on 10 November to three years and eight months.

Robust enforcement 

DC Scott Spedding of the County Lines and Gangs Team said: ‘Olarabiro played a pivotal role within this county line network, using his influence to instruct others in the supply of drugs and working alongside his co-defendants to supply significant quantities of heroin and crack cocaine throughout Gravesend.  ‘Criminal operations such as these also often lead to violence and weapons involving rival gangs, who think nothing of the despair and misery they bring to our communities. 'However, as this case demonstrates we are continuing to relentlessly target and disrupt their activities and together with our partners and with help from local communities, we know that the work we’re doing is making it much harder for dealers to establish a foothold.’