Stevenage drug dealer given first Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order in Herts

A Stevenage county lines drug dealer who was jailed for more than six years has been handed a five year Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order (STPO).

Jack Dempsey was arrested in November during an operation led by Hertfordshire’s specialist county lines team, Operation Mantis.

Dempsey, aged 25, from Haygarth, Knebworth, had been wanted on recall to prison and was found after search warrants were carried out at addresses in Knebworth and Stevenage. A significant amount of Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin) were recovered linking Dempsey to the prolific ‘Tony line’, which exploited children to distribute its drugs. One child was identified and safeguarded, during the investigation, after being suspected of being criminally exploited by those running the line.

Dempsey appeared at St Albans Crown Court on 7 January 2025, pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and modern slavery offences and was sentenced to six years and six months in prison. On Monday 27 January he was handed the first STPO applied in Hertfordshire, after an application was made by the investigation team. The order means that restrictions will remain in place for five years to ensure he does not exploit any further victims.

Hertfordshire Constabulary’s spokesperson said: “Dempsey ran the ‘Tony’ drug line, which was operating in the Stevenage area dealing crack cocaine and heroin. He was also using children as ‘runners’ and, following meticulous evidence gathering by the Operation Mantis team, the court also handed Dempsey a five-year Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order, which puts measures in place to ensure he will not be able to exploit vulnerable people after his release from prison.  

“We continue to take a very proactive approach to targeting drug dealers in the county, preventing them from blighting our communities and exploiting the young and the vulnerable.”

What is Operation Mantis?

The Operation Mantis team was launched in 2018 and is made up of officers who specialise in targeting serious and organised crime. Since May 2019 the team has executed hundreds of search warrants, more than 460 arrests and seized over £630,000 in cash. This has led to numerous county lines gangs being dismantled and offenders sentenced to 857 years in prison in total.

What is county lines?

County lines is the name given to describe drug dealing, which involves criminal networks from urban areas expanding their activities into smaller towns and rural areas. 

It often involves the exploitation of children, as gangs use young people and those with mental health or addiction problems to transport drugs and money. These gangs establish a base in the location they are targeting, often taking over the homes of local vulnerable adults by force or coercion in a practice referred to as ‘cuckooing’.

Dealers typically use a single phone line to facilitate the supply of Class A drugs to customers. The phone line is highly valuable and is protected through violence and intimidation.

What is Cuckooing?

Cuckooing is the term used when gangs establish a base in the location they are targeting, often taking over the homes of vulnerable adults by force or coercion.

How to spot the signs that cuckooing might be happening in your neighbourhood:

• Lots of different people coming and going from an address during the day and at night.
• Suspicious smells coming from the property.
• Windows covered or curtains closed all of the time.
• Cars pulling up to or near to the house for a short period of time.
• An increase in anti-social behaviour around the property.

 Help and support for those with drug addiction:

If someone you know has a drug problem, they can get help by contacting Talk to Frank on 0800 77 66 00.