Joint police operation dismantles County Lines drugs network in Didcot

A joint investigation by Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Orochi has dismantled a county lines drugs network operating in Didcot and the wider South and Vale area.

Ali Abdallah, aged 33, of Ainsworth Close, London, was sentenced to five years and seven months in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Friday (8/5).

At the same hearing, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, namely crack cocaine and heroin, as well as acquiring, using or possessing criminal property. He also pleaded guilty to motoring offences, including driving without a licence and without insurance.

The Metropolitan Police Service’s Operation Orochi targets organised crime groups that supply Class A drugs from urban centres into county force areas.

Intelligence identified a county line known as the “JAY” line operating between December 2025 and March this year.

Detailed phone analysis linked the drugs line to Abdallah through consistent mobile phone co-location and vehicle intelligence.

On 8 March, Abdallah was arrested in Didcot on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. Officers seized multiple mobile phones linked to the drugs line, £4,750 in cash, drug paraphernalia, and suspected Class A substances.

A subsequent search of an address in Didcot uncovered further evidence, including drugs, scales, and items linking Abdallah to the premises.

Abdallah was charged in connection with the offence on 9 March this year.

Detective Inspector Richard Pickering, head of Oxfordshire’s Local Proactive Teams, said: “This operation highlights the continued commitment of Thames Valley Police and our partners to proactively disrupt county lines activity and protect communities from the significant harm caused by organised drug supply.

“By working closely with colleagues in the Metropolitan Police, we are targeting those who exploit vulnerable people and bring drugs and associated criminality into our neighbourhoods, ensuring offenders are brought to justice and communities are made safer.”

Detective Chief Inspector Hailey Panting, who is part of the Met’s work to tackle County Lines, said: “County lines devastate lives. It is much more than drug dealing – it causes real, visible harm and has wide-reaching impact on communities across the country.

“The sentencing of Abdallah highlights the determination of police forces to disrupt the supply of Class A drugs, safeguard vulnerable individuals and relentlessly pursue those who exploit them. 

"Working closely with our partners, this ongoing work from Met county line teams demonstrates the impact we can have on removing Class A drugs from communities across the UK.”

AP