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Police make charges in drugs crackdown

Police close down a suspected "crackhouse" in Maidstone - but a permanent closure order has not yet been made. Picture: Matthew Walker
Police close down a suspected "crackhouse" in Maidstone - but a permanent closure order has not yet been made. Picture: Matthew Walker

Fifteen more suspects have appeared in court charged with supplying class A drugs following a police crackdown in Maidstone.

Darren Millward, Roger Kemp, Mervyn Treays, David Batt, Lee Botton, Philip Connelly, David Defraine, all from Maidstone, were remanded in custody to appear back in Maidstone Magistrates Court on Friday July 11.

Four other suspects from Maidstone - Princely Imara, Robert Bell, Kerry Donaghue and Lee Emery - were remanded to custody and will appear back in court on Thursday July 10.

Another Maidstone man Justin Morris, was granted bail to appear back before Maidstone on Friday July 11.

A further two men from London were remanded in custody - Andy Mokonzele until Thursday July 10 at Maidstone and Tyran Lawrence until Friday July 11 at Sittingbourne.

Odane Cole, also from London, was granted bail until Thursday July 17 at Maidstone.

Proceedings at Maidstone Magistrates' Court were dominated on Thursday by Operation Morse, a police crackdown on the supply of drugs.



Police made a formal application to close a flat in Willington Street, Maidstone, which is believed to be connected with multiple drug offences.

But they are still waiting for permission to permanently close down the "crackhouse" after the hearing was adjourned until Tuesday, July 8.

In the meantime, a temporary closure notice will remain in place, allowing access to the tenant but no one else.

During the morning the following appeared in court:

  • Andrew Beckford, 20, of Park Holm Road, Hackney, was charged with three offences of supplying Class A drugs between May 21 and June 1. He was remanded in custody until July 10.Stacey Stocker, of London Road, Ditton, was charged with two offences of supplying a Class A drug, and was remanded in custody until July 10.Wayne Crittenden, 22, of Mangravet Avenue, Shepway, Maidstone, and Tom Fellowes, 25, of Highland Road, Maidstone, were both charged with supplying Class A drugs. They were both remanded in custody until July 10.Darren Chamberlain, 37, of Gatland Lane, Maidstone, appeared in relation to seven charges of supplying Class A drugs or being concerned with the supply of Class A drugs between April and June this year.

    He was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned until July 10.

    Joseph Bristow, 32, of Cambridge Crescent, Shepway, Maidstone, pleaded guilty to supplying quantities of Class A drugs on four occasions between February 29 and March 21. He was remanded in custody to appear at Maidstone Crown Court for sentencing.Lee Finnis, 29, of Temple Way, East Malling, pleaded guilty to supplying a Class A drug on June 13. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court.

Read more about the raids in this Friday's Kent Messenger

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