Essex Police dismantle county lines drugs network
The force's Operation Raptor team carried out a series of dawn raids to target the 'Mali' drug line.
Police have revealed what members of a drug gang dealing in Southend said on a prison phone call, as officers tore their network apart.
Two gang members rang one of their brothers from their cell, on the day officers raided homes in Luton and found a gun.
The man they called, Samba Kafando, handed himself in months later, and he's one of ten from the gang who have now been jailed for more than sixty years between them, including the brothers who ran it, Ehsan and Kaesim Saghir.
Between December 2024 and September 2025, Raptor officers investigated the supply of more than 1kg of drugs dealt by the Mali line.
They worked in partnership with Bedfordshire Police to identify those running the line, the key gang members below them and the Southend properties that were being used to facilitate drug dealing.
In March 2025, after £1,000-worth of crack cocaine went missing from the Mali line, Kibssa Kafando attacked a man at one of the Southend addresses. He suffered life-changing injuries and permanently losing some function in his left arm.
On the 27th of February 2025, officers entered an address at Christchurch Court in Southend after concerns were raised about its occupant's welfare. Inside the property, officers recovered weapons, including an axe, machetes and knives, around £500 in cash and a phone being used to operate the drug line.
Johnpaul Anomneze and Zkaree Wilson were arrested there. Anomneze resisted arrest, grappling with an officer for almost ten minutes and injuring his ribs.
A second number used by the Mali line was activated on 5th March, which led officers to another address being used by the group, at Barringtons in Southend.
On the 27th of March, Operation Raptor officers used a warrant to search the Barringtons address. They found dozens of wraps of crack cocaine and heroin, cannabis, and £1,715 in cash.
Officers also recovered three mobile phones, including the second Mali line handset. They also found three bladed weapons including swords and machetes.
Kai Pointing, Kibssa Kafando and Richard Forward were among those arrested.
On the 1st of May, Raptor officers working alongside Bedfordshire Police executed dawn raids at a number of addresses in Luton.
They searched the home of Kaesim and Ehsan Saghir, finding £24,800 hidden beneath a bed. Officers arrested both brothers.
Jeremiah Muya was also arrested at his home, where officers recovered a 9mm pistol and six rounds of ammunition. An iPad found at the address was connected to Muya’s Snapchat account which contained a conversation between Muya and Anomneze referencing the gun.
Mario Vinteanu, Kerim Coskun and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, were also arrested at their Luton homes.
The prison call involving Kibssa Kafando, Kai Pointing and Samba Kafando took place during the same day. The men talked about Muya’s arrest by Raptor officers and the gun's discovery.
Police arrested Kafando on the 25th of September after he handed himself in at Luton Police Station.
All 12 members were convicted. The following sentences were handed down at Luton Crown Court on Friday the 16th of October:
Kaesim Saghir, 22, of Beechwood Road, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin and possession of criminal property, sentenced to eight years and three months’ imprisonment.
Ehsan Saghir, 27, of Beechwood Road, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin and possession of criminal property, sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Kibssa Kafando, 20, of Pennine Avenue, Luton – convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, false imprisonment, conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin and possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs, sentenced to 10 years and six months in a young offender institution.
Samba Kafando, 20, of Pennine Avenue, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin, sentenced to seven years in a young offender institution.
Kai Pointing, 20, of Leafield, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin, possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs and possession of criminal property, sentenced to five years and seven months in a young offender institution.
Jeremiah Muya, 19, of Brussels Way, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin, possessing a firearm and possessing ammunition without a certificate, sentenced to five years in a young offender institution.
Mario Vinteanu, 19, of Marlin Road, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin, sentenced to four years and six months in a young offender institution.
Kerim Coskun, 46, of Telscombe Way, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin, sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
Johnpaul Anomneze, 18, of Petersfield Gardens, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin and assaulting an emergency worker, sentenced to four years and six months in a young offender institution.
Zkaree Wilson, 19, of Cambridge Street, Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin, sentenced to two years and three months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.
Richard Forward, 60, of Sutton Road, Southend – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin, sentenced to two years and five months’ imprisonment.
A 17-year-old boy, from Luton – convicted of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin and sentenced to a three-year youth referral order.
Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Thurston, who heads up our Raptor teams, said:
“This was an organised county line drug network which believed it could operate safely from Luton and use addresses in Southend as bases from which to deal drugs."
“Our investigation systematically identified the people involved, the addresses they were using and those controlling the line."
“The conversations we recovered during the investigation speak for themselves. Those involved knew about Raptor and knew what it meant when our officers started closing in."
“But behind that bravado and criminality was very real harm. Drugs were being supplied on our streets, weapons and significant amounts of cash were recovered and one man was left with life-changing injuries after an attack linked to this supply."
“These sentences are the culmination of a lengthy investigation, but our work targeting those who bring drugs into Southend continues.
“We will continue tackling the Class A drug trade which fuels violence, exploitation and wider criminality in our communities."
“Enforcement is only one part of our work. We also work with partners to identify and safeguard people being exploited by county lines gangs, helping them access support and find a route away from that exploitation.”