A 27-year-old drug dealer who bit a police officer and assaulted two others at Brighton’s Preston Park train station has been sentenced to more than four years in prison.
Kelvin Thompson admitted to possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply, along with multiple assault charges.
Plainclothes officers from the County Lines Taskforce discovered crack cocaine and heroin on him during an operation at the station in September.
What is the County Lines Taskforce: Launched in December 2019 with funding from the Home Office, the British Transport Police's County Lines Taskforce is a specialized unit aimed at combating the "county lines" drug trafficking phenomenon. This criminal enterprise involves exploiting vulnerable individuals, including children, to distribute illegal drugs across regional boundaries through dedicated communication lines.
Operating across England, Scotland, and Wales, the taskforce focuses its efforts on the railway networks, a known conduit for such activities. Its mission encompasses disrupting these illegal operations, apprehending those involved, and safeguarding the exploited individuals. Significant achievements of the taskforce since its inception include over 1,600 arrests, the confiscation of substantial quantities of drugs, large sums of money, and numerous weapons. Additionally, the taskforce places a strong emphasis on victim protection, often collaborating with organizations such as The Children’s Society to provide support and divert individuals away from criminal activities.
The taskforce also leverages public awareness campaigns like #LookCloser to educate both the public and professionals on recognizing signs of exploitation among vulnerable populations. These efforts are integral to a broader national strategy aimed at curtailing drug trafficking and the exploitation associated with it on the railways and in broader communities.
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