Man sentenced for operating county line from Didcot to Swindon

A 20-year-old man convicted of operating a Class A county line into Swindon has been sentenced to four years imprisonment on two counts.

Irfan Mascuud, 20, of Haswell Crescent, Slough, was sentenced on November 6 at Swindon Crown Court after being found guilty by trial in September.

Mascuud was found guilty of being concerned in the supply of crack Cocaine and Heroin after disputing the charge, stating that he had been supplying Cannabis, a Class B drug.

He was arrested on March 6 at an address in Didcot, following an investigation by Wiltshire Police into a County Line that was operating from Didcot and travelling to Swindon. Mascuud regularly travelled via train to supply Crack Cocaine and Heroin onto the streets and into homes in Swindon.

The street value of the drugs supplied by Mascuud was to the value of £30,690 which had been distributed between December 2023 and March 2024.

On the morning of sentencing, Mascuud admitted his guilt in an attempt to reduce his sentence. However, he was sentenced to four years imprisonment on both counts, which are to be served concurrently.

T/Detective Constable Eddy said: “County Line drug dealing has a huge impact on our communities, and those most vulnerable will often be the targets of such criminality.

"Mascuud had a propensity for targeting drug users and use their homes to facilitate drug supply. He has managed to avoid prosecution for his actions up until now. It is good that Mascuud is finally seeing the consequences of his actions.

"By taking the case to trial at the public’s expense, Mascuud has shown a lack of respect for the judicial system and any acknowledgement for the seriousness of his actions. The sentence passed is a positive one for the Swindon community.

"This conclusion was reached with the support of the public, and for that I am extremely grateful."

County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

They exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs. This is often referred to as ‘drug running’. Criminals may also use a vulnerable person’s home as their base of operations. This is known as ‘cuckooing’.

If you’re concerned about drug-related crime in your area or think someone may be a victim of drug exploitation, report it online.

You can also call us on 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.