Five men jailed after using missing children in Surrey county lines drug network

An investigation began in September 2023 after a number of children from Surrey who were reported missing were located at addresses in London that were believed to be being used for supplying drugs.

In November 2023, Mohammed Yousuf, 21, who had also been present at one of the addresses in London, was stopped in a vehicle in Surrey with a child who had been reported missing days before.

Officers searched the vehicle and found more than £1000 in cash and a pot of Vaseline – which police have said they think was not ‘being used as a lip balm’ – and he was swiftly arrested for drug supply offences.

Released on bail while the investigation was ongoing, a review of Yousuf's phone revealed a huge volume of messages related to drug supply and conspiring with others to recruit children to help facilitate their drug dealings.

Some of the ‘callous’ texts police discovered which were sent between the ringleaders of the county lines drugs network include:

"We need to get more yutes [youths].”

“Make him want to do it. keep asking bro, girls whatever bro, at least we make the doe [money].”

During dawn raids on March 7, 2024, Ahmed Al Khudairy, 21, of Kingston and Edward Atudorei, 19, of Sutton were arrested, charged and remanded for a number of offences, including arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation and being concerned in the supply of class A and B drugs.

Later that day, Mohammed Yousuf, 21, of Kingston was also arrested, charged and remanded for the same offences.

A few days later, on March 12, 2024, Ronnie Read, 24, of Thames Ditton was arrested for his role in the drugs network, followed by Ali Cayir, 23 of Thames Ditton when a warrant was carried out at his address on June 12, 2024.

Following a six-week trial at Guildford Crown Court, Ahmed Al Khudairy was convicted of conspiring to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploitation and of being concerned in the supply of class A, B and C drugs.

This week he was sentenced to six-years imprisonment.

Surrey Police said Mohammed Yousuf was convicted of conspiring to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploitation. He was sentenced to three-years and six months imprisonment.

He also received a 21-month driving ban for driving without insurance and drug driving.

Surrey Police said Edward Atudorei was also convicted of conspiring to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploitation and was sentenced to three-years.

Prior to the trial, Ali Cayir pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A and B drugs, possessing with intent to supply class B drugs, and being in possession of criminal property.

He was sentenced to four-years, six-months imprisonment.

Surrey Police said Ronnie Read also pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A and B drugs. He was sentenced to five-years imprisonment.

DC Michael Bambrough who led the investigation, said: "These men thought they could keep ahead of the law by recruiting children to do the dirty work for them.

“By targeting the ring leaders of this activity, rather than the victims who were treated as a commodity, we believe we have completely dismantled the activities of this criminal gang.

“We are doing all we can to make Surrey the safest county it can be, but we rely on information from the public.

“If you believe you've seen signs of drug dealing in your community, we urge you to say something and report it to us.”