Drug dealers who used a 14 year-old to run drugs are jailed

Heroin and crack cocaine dealers who exploited a 14-year-old boy in Gillingham have been jailed.

Kieran Appiah and Muhammed Khan-Brown’s offending began to unravel after Kent Police officers seized class A drugs and a phone from the boy in May 2020.

Kent Police’s investigation into the offending began in May when a patrol noticed a teenage boy was supplying drugs in the Livingstone Road area. The boy was stopped and found to be in possession of 38 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin, which were ready for sale on the streets.

A mobile phone was also seized and data from the device showed he had received 142 calls which were directing him to supply drugs.

Action was not taken against the boy, as it was clear that he was being exploited by organised criminals. Instead, officers worked with partner agencies to ensure he was supported and safeguarded from further harm. 

Both men were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court and will serve more than five years between them.