Two men have received a combined 17 years in prison for supplying drugs and exploiting children in Gwent following a county lines investigation. Lofti Smatti, 26, of Streatham, and Samy Smatti, 22, of Peckham, appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, May 6, following an investigation involving Gwent Police, the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police.
The brothers pleaded guilty to offences including conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, conspiracy to supply heroin, facilitating the travel of another with a view to him/her being exploited and possession of cannabis. Operation Pinebank was a Gwent Police-led investigation into the exploitation of two teenagers from Gwent by a London-based organised crime group to facilitate class A drug supply in the Ipswich area. You can get more courts news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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Detective Inspector Emma Coopey said: "Our investigation uncovered a county line in operation where the Smatti brothers – Lofti and Samy – were recruiting vulnerable people, including children, to supply crack and heroin around the country. Two of the vulnerable people exploited by the Smattis were children from the Gwent area. Working together with other partner agencies, we carried out warrants in Aylesbury, Chepstow, Cwmbran and London as part of Operation Pinebank.
“The Smatti brothers were arrested by the Metropolitan Police as part of this day of action in November, 2020. These men were profiting from an illegal trade that often leads to other forms of criminal activity. Not only does this cause harm and misery within communities, these two were placing young, vulnerable people at the direct risk of harm in order to supply class A drugs.
"These significant sentences show that we will work closely with our policing and safeguarding partners to ensure that we take robust action to prevent the exploitation of children for criminal enterprises. We will gather evidence on the people responsible for it and bring them before the courts to face justice for their actions.”
County lines is a term used to describe a drugs gang who often exploit children and vulnerable people to move drugs and money from one area to another. Samy Smatti received a sentence of nine years in prison, while Lofti Smatti was jailed for eight years. The pair will re-appear in court on Thursday, June 16, for a slavery and trafficking risk order hearing.
