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Members of a drug dealing network across the Midlands and East of England have been convicted after a five-week trial.

Brian Asante, 23, described by police as the ringleader, was also found guilty of exploiting children to run the county lines operation.

He previously admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.

West Midlands Police said the gang ran lines into Kettering and Corby in Northamptonshire, Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, and Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire.

Phones and SIM cards, seized when Asante was arrested at his home on Canberra Drive, in Stafford, revealed links between the gang, the force said, as well as how he used children to deal drugs.

Together, the defendants from Wolverhampton, Swindon, Staffordshire, Corby and Birmingham operated the AB and Jay lines.

Investigators retrieved Automated Number Plate Recognition data that helped trace the movement of vehicles used by the group.

Three men and one woman have been convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

They are Emma Gill, 41, of Convent Close, Wolverhampton, Dhillon Swarn, 20, from Wolverhampton Road, Bloxwich in the West Midlands, Gulam Izdani, 22 of Luddesdown Road, Toothill, Swindon, and Maurice Reid, 55, from The Cloisters, Burton-upon-Trent.

Simon McTaggart, 37, of Highfield Avenue, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Meghan Lawrence, 20, from Manitoba Croft, Birmingham, admitted conspiring to supply heroin.

James Carroll, 46, of Dumble Close, Corby, was convicted of facilitating travel for a child for the purpose of exploitation.

Alicia Cox, 25, from Wesley Road, Bilbrook, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty to assisting an organised crime group by transporting a child for the purpose of selling drugs.

They will be sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court at a later date.

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