County lines: Man who used children in drugs operation jailed

Police said an aggravating feature was Abdul Uwimana Rahman's use of children to run his drugs

A man who used children in a drug dealing operation has been jailed.

Leicestershire Police said Abdul Uwimana Rahman, 22, was involved in county lines drugs activity, where drugs are moved from bigger cities to smaller towns.

Rahman and Adam Curran were arrested as part of a series of warrants carried out by police in September.

Rahman and Curran admitted a number of drugs offences and were jailed at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday.

'A clear message'

Rahman, of Keightley Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, and for breaching a suspended order.

He was jailed for five years and 219 days.

Curran, 32, of Dearman Road, Birmingham, admitted conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and was jailed for four years and one month.

Adam Curran was jailed for more than four years

Police said the force's Operation Impose saw 73 warrants executed, with 43 people arrested and 20 charged.

When Rahman was being sentenced, an aggravating feature taken into account by the court was his use of children to run his drugs, the force added.

Det Insp Rob Arthur added: "These sentences send a clear message - you will receive a prison sentence if you involve yourself in the supply of drugs.

"We worked hard in the weeks and months leading up to the warrants being executed to gather evidence and bring those we knew were involved in, and running, county lines drugs lines."