Three jailed after Redhill county lines drug operation uncovered
A county drugs line operating in Redhill has been taken down following work from the Surrey & Sussex Centurion team, a team dedicated to tackling county line drug dealing across the two counties.
On Tuesday, January 27, officers from the Centurion team were on patrol in Horley when they stopped a vehicle. Within the vehicle there were three people: the driver for the line Lawrence Pestell, in the front passenger seat of the car the line holder Adeen Gill, and in the rear seats a runner for the line, Ramdas Shaji.
A spokesperson for Surrey Police said: “All three were searched and the vehicle. On Gill a knife and £222.50 of cash were found. A mobile phone, cannabis and a package of Class A wraps were found on Shaji, nothing was found on Pestell. Within the car a smart phone and two small bags of cannabis were located. Subsequently searches were carried out at all of their addresses, where drugs paraphernalia and mobile phones were seized.
“The Centurion team identified three drug line phone numbers which ran consecutively from December 18, 2025 through to the day of their arrest. Working alongside the Metropolitan Police’s Op Orochi team (specialist team created to target and dismantle urban-to-county drug dealing networks) officers interrogated the phone data and were able to attribute all three drug lines to Gill, showing him to be the overall line holder and controller of the drugs line. The team were also able to show that on occasions Shaji would hold the drugs line alongside operating as the line’s runner. Shaji’s main role was completing drug deals that Gill would arrange.
"Adeen Gill, 24 (DOB: 19/11/2001), currently residing in HMP Wandsworth Prison, was charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin, possession with intent to supply a controlled Class A drug – heroin, possession with the intent to supply a controlled Class A drug – crack cocaine, and possession of criminal property. He was sentenced to four years and six months.
“Ramdas Shaji, 22 (DOB: 05/01/2004), of South Godstone, was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin, possession with the intent to supply a controlled Class A drug – heroin, possession with the intent to supply a Class A drug – crack cocaine, and possession of a Class B drug – cannabis. He was sentenced to two years.
“Lawrence Pestell, 37 (DOB: 15/12/1988), of Salfords, was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, being concerned in the supply of heroin, possession with the intent to supply a controlled Class A drug – heroin, possession with the intent to supply a Class A drug – crack cocaine, and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place x2. He was sentenced to two years and six months behind bars.
“All three were sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, September 18. Shaji pleaded guilty at a pre-trial plea hearing, Gill pleaded guilty before the trial and Pestell was found guilty at trial.”
Borough Commander, Inspector, Lyndsey Whatley said: “County drug lines bring far more than drugs into our communities. They drive violence, exploitation and wider criminality, placing vulnerable people at risk and causing significant harm to local neighbourhoods. I commend the efforts of the Centurion and Orochi teams in this case.
We will continue to relentlessly target county lines activity, disrupt those who profit from exploitation and make Surrey an increasingly hostile environment for criminals."