Three jailed for roles in Brighton drug network

Following a three week trial at Hove Crown Court, which concluded last month, all three were sentenced today (Friday June 7).

One of the men jailed was deemed to be at the top of the chain.

Andre Phanor, 29, unemployed, of Laundress Lane, Hackney, London, police say was identified as the 'Mr Big' of the drug dealing operation, known as the Scotty Line, that was cracked by police in Brighton in the Spring of 2018.

Along with Christopher Saili, 22, a care assistant of Clissold Crescent, Hackney and Joshua Samuels, 33, unemployed, of Seven Sisters Road, Hackney, he was responsible for the 'cuckooing' of a vulnerable Brighton man from his home in the city.

The court heard how Operation Chalkwell was launched by the community investigation team in Brighton in September 2017 to identify and disrupt County Lines operating in Brighton and Hove and to safeguard vulnerable people.

Detective Inspector Dee Wells said: "We identified the Scotty Line as supplying heroin and crack cocaine in the centre of Brighton and started to investigate it in December 2017.

"As a result of that investigation, we were able to arrest Phanor and Saili at their home addresses in London. Samuels later handed himself following a warrant at his home address.

"During the operation, CIT officers identified Samuels as a manager for the Scotty Line basing himself in Brighton. He hired vehicles and cuckooed a local vulnerable person. Phanor, based in the Camden area of London, controlled the dealing phone and directed the street runners. Saili managed the flow of drugs between London and Brighton."

Phanor was found guilty of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and conspiring to supply heroin. He was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.

Christopher Saili and Joshua Samuels were found guilty of the same offences and were jailed for six and seven years respectively.

HHJ Paul Tain said to Phanor: “You are in the rare position of getting caught, when the County Lines model protects those at the top, with normally only the lower level street runners being the ones detected.

“A mixture of excellent technological analysis and your own mistakes got you caught."

Addressing all three of those convicted, he said: “These are very serious offences with disastrous consequences and now they have disastrous consequences for you."

Judge Tain went on to congratulate the police officers who had brought the three men to justice and in particular singled out DC Jon Freeman for praise.

He commented that the main organiser or Mr Big (Phanor) had been successfully identified and through the thorough investigative work and careful and painstaking analysis of the vast amount of data, successfully prosecuted. The analytical work was outstanding and truly worthy of commendation.

If you suspect drug dealing in your neighbourhood you can report online here.