Members of a county-line drugs gang, which included individuals from Farnham and Alton, have been sentenced to a total of 34 years for trafficking crack cocaine and heroin across county borders.

Liam Neylon, 27, from Farnham, was jailed for three years and nine months for working as a controller in the gang in Surrey and a further two and half years for similar offences in Suffolk.

Noella Facer, 50, from Farnborough, and Dean Pearce 28, and Kerry Pearce, 59, both from Alton, who worked as ‘runners’ in the gang, all received two-year suspended sentences.

The sentencing concluded months of investigation by officers into the network, which was being operated from the Stratford area for several years.

In March 2023, police executed a series of warrants at addresses across London, Surrey and Hampshire, resulting in nine people being subsequently charged and remanded.

The investigation was jointly lead by officers from Surrey Police’s Centurion team – a specialist unit for Surrey and Sussex Police and Operation Orochi from Metropolitan Police, the forces’ leads on county drug lines. Both teams work closely together to co-ordinate response to intelligence about county lines coming into our communities.

County-lines crime involves transporting illegal drugs from one area to another, often across police boundaries, using dedicated mobile phone lines or ‘deal lines’. Often the areas these drugs are taken to see an increase in levels of violence or other crimes because of the problems drugs and drug addiction bring.

After being presented with a body of evidence against them, all those charged eventually pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class-A drugs, namely crack cocaine and heroin.

They have all now been sentenced at court, with the final two appearing on January 17, 2024.

Other individuals sentenced include Ross Bannister, 30, from Greenwich, who was jailed for nine years and four months for being concerned in the supply of class-A drugs, and a further 27 months for possession of criminal property to run concurrently.

Billy Cross, 25, from Basildon, was sentenced to nine years and four months for supply of class-A drugs and 15 months for possession of criminal property to run concurrently.

Abraham Musoke, 29, from Bexley in London, who acted as a courier in the network, was given six years and nine months.

Local controllers Paul Skabarntsky 29, of no fixed address, and Jamie Smith, 31, from Greenwich, each received three years and one month.

Hearings will now take place under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize any assets gained as a result of criminal activity.

Police constable Ed Bush, a member of the Centurion team, said: “All these individuals are part of a system that preys on the vulnerable and brings nothing but misery to our communities.

“Everyday, we are working to identify who they are and disrupt their networks and I hope this case shows that it doesn’t matter how long it takes – we will find you.

“If you have information about someone you suspect is involved in the supply of illegal drugs or are concerned about someone vulnerable to exploitation by these gangs please contact us.”

He urged anyone with information about illegal drugs to contact police on 101 or via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.