Gang who trafficked teenager and forced her to conceal drugs jailed

Two London gang members who trafficked a teenage girl to Swansea to deal heroin and crack cocaine have been jailed for a total of 19 years.

Fesal Mahamud, 19, and Mahad Yusuf, 20, were arrested as part of Operation Lindvi, a joint operation between South Wales Police and the Metropolitan Police, to investigate the supply of drugs across so-called 'county lines' between London to Swansea.

Mahamud was jailed for 10 years and Yusuf was jailed for 9 years at Swansea Crown Court. Both were also subject to a slavery and trafficking prevention order for 20 years.

The two men were part of a north London gang who contacted the victim in May last year through social media with the promise of work. When she met them she was driven to Swansea, but did not know the true purpose of the journey.

When they arrived, Yusuf told her that she now “belonged to him”. Her mobile phone was destroyed, she was assaulted and forced to conceal drugs. Mahamud stayed in London where he directed the drug dealing in Swansea via a mobile phone.

The victim was held against her will in a flat for five days before she was found by police as they carried out a search warrant of the address.

Nicola Rees, of the CPS, said the teenage girl was treated as "a commodity".

“Alongside drugs offences the CPS authorised charges under the Modern Slavery Act as the prosecution was able to prove they trafficked the victim in order to exploit her", Ms Rees said.

“The CPS presented a strong case which included text messages and CCTV evidence which corroborated the testimony from the victim, leaving the defendants no choice but to plead guilty to their crimes. The victim provided an extensive statement which included harrowing detail of her experience and was valuable in prosecuting the defendants for modern slavery.”

The Metropolitan Police has described the case as "the first of its kind in the UK".

Detective Inspector Rick Sewart said: "The victim in this case suffered a horrendous ordeal at the hands of these two men, who trafficked her for their own criminal gain. Unfortunately this case is by no means unique. Drug dealers are exploiting vulnerable people across the country via county lines. This prosecution is a clear message to any drug dealer that if you exploit young people we will find you, bring you to justice and you will feel the full force of the law."