Three charged following County Lines operation

Three people have been arrested and charged following an operation targeting a gang suspected of supplying drugs to the North Herts and Stevenage areas.

Following a two-month investigation, officers by Hertfordshire Constabulary‘s Serious & Organised Crime Investigations Unit (SOCIU) conducted warrants in Bedford and Arlesey on Tuesday 31 March. Supported by officers from HALO (Child Sexual Exploitation Unit) and the Eastern Regional Special Operations Unit, two addresses were raided and class A drugs, mobile devices, bladed weapons and over £2,000 in cash were seized.

Jordan Cudjoe, aged 32, formerly of Bruthwaite Green, Bedford, was arrested upon release from HMP Peterborough and charged and remanded back to prison for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin).

David Simpson, aged 39, of Rendlesham Walk, Bedford, was arrested and charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin) and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin). Simpson plead guilty at Hatfield Remand Court the following day and has been released on court bail to St Albans Crown Court to be sentenced at a later date.

Maria Conroy, aged 46, of High Street, Arlesey, was arrested and charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs (crack cocaine and heroin) and possess criminal property (cash). She has been bailed to attend Stevenage Magistrates Court at a later date.  

Detective Sergeant Chris Cowell, from the County Lines Investigations Unit, said: “This operation was the culmination of months of work which targeted a drug line, suspected of supplying crack cocaine and heroin across North Herts and Stevenage.

“These drug lines are run by organised crime groups who use violence and commit a whole range of crimes that pose a real threat to the community. Our investigations depend on information from members of the public to help us crack down on drug-related crime. Any information you can provide, no matter how small it may seem, could help us to identify and apprehend drug dealers.”

You can report information about a crime online at herts.police.uk/report or speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat, which can be launched here: herts.police.uk/contact. You also call the non-emergency number 101. If a crime is in progress call 999.

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.