Friday 18 November 2022

County Lines Couple Exploited 13 Year-Old Drugs Courier

A County Lines couple, who recruited a 13 year-old boy to deal heroin and crack cocaine via the rail network, have been locked-up.

Devon McCallum, 28, and Nardia Seedat, 27, both of Water Gardens Square, Surrey Quays controlled the youth, who was stopped by British Transport Police at Rochester train station, Kent.

He was in possession of £1500 cash and a mobile phone that linked him to both defendants.

The couple were both convicted at Inner London Crown Court of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Seedat was additionally found guilty of two counts of possessing Class A drugs, with intent to supply.

McCallum received nine years imprisonment and Seedat three years.

When police stopped the teenage boy on September 15, 2020 his phone revealed multiple calls and texts from a contact saved as “SYK” and a text from another number directing him to take the 4.55pm train from Deptford to Rochester on the day of his arrest.

Communication data from cell sites found the two numbers were in constant contact with the 13-year-old’s phone throughout September as he travelled between London and Kent.

Detectives were able to link McCallum, also known as “SYKES”, to the “SYK” number and the second number to Seedat.

McCallum controlled the 'REM' County Line and was in contact with drug customers in Medway, Kent.

On the morning of September 25, 2020 a warrant was executed at the couple's property, where McCallum and Seedat were discovered asleep on two sofas that had been pushed together to form a bed.

Three mobile phones, including the two handsets used to contact the child, were seized from the address and the pair were arrested.

Seedat was searched and officers found she had concealed 14 wraps of heroin and one wrap of crack cocaine.

In interview McCallum attempted to distance himself from the Surrey Quays address by claiming his friend let him stay there and that “lots of people come and go.”

Seedat responded “no comment” to all questions put to her in interview, but just before its conclusion stated: “I’m not involved in trafficking.”

Detective Superintendent Gareth Williams, BTP’s County Lines Taskforce lead, said: “Sadly, it is not uncommon for drug suppliers to use children to transport drugs on the railway.

“The 13-year-old boy my team successfully safeguarded is the youngest we’ve encountered being exploited – we routinely come across teenagers in our work.

“McCallum and Seedat are a callous pair of criminals who controlled a child for their own financial gain. 

“I hope their adequately strong sentences serve as a stark warning to offenders – we will catch you and put you behind bars.

“If you spot the signs of child exploitation on the railway network, I urge you to report it to us by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40. No report is too small or too trivial.”

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