Hitchin: A county lines drug dealer from Old Hale Way has been sent to prison for eight years for dealing MDMA and cocaine

Drug dealer Faizan Farooq, 29, along with two other men ran a county lines drug network in North Herts that saw them jailed for a total of more than 20 years.

Following an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary's Operation Mantis team three people were arrested and more than £100k of class A drugs were seized (MDMA, cocaine and cannabis) from an address in Stotfold in October 2021.

The three appeared at St Albans Crown court on March 18.

Farooq, who lived at Old Hale Way, Hitchin, was sentenced to eight years for conspiracy to supply class A (MDMA and cocaine) and class B drugs (cannabis, resin).

Aaron Cooper, aged 28, of Mobbsbury Way, Stevenage, was sentenced to nine years for conspiracy to supply class A (MDMA and cocaine) and class B drugs (cannabis, resin). He was also sentenced to a further year for conveying prohibited items into prison and possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.

Rehan Farooq, aged 27, of Argyll Avenue, Luton, was sentenced to three years and four months for conspiracy to supply class A (MDMA and cocaine) and class B drugs (cannabis, resin).

Detective Sergeant Jon Leak, from Hertfordshire Constabulary's Operation Mantis team, said: "Faizan Farooq ran a drug line which supplied drugs into the North Herts and South Beds areas.

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"His brother, Rehan, and Cooper worked for him distributing the drugs. All three were arrested and significant amounts of drugs were seized following a long running investigation by the specialist county lines Operation Mantis team.

"This will have a major impact on drugs use and associated crime in the county. It also sends a clear message that drug dealing will not go unpunished and anyone involved will be caught and jailed.

"Exploitation of vulnerable people is just one of the tragic symptoms of organised drug gangs.

"County Lines dealers can coerce people into providing a base for dealers to operate or to act as distributers themselves. They often use young people to handle drugs and money, drawing them deeper into gang affiliation that often leads to violence and abuse."

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