Eastbourne teen jailed for drug dealing

Police say Jay Farley, a labourer of Southbourne Road, operated in the town between June 2022-February 2023, sending out bulk advertising messages on mobile phones and arranging deals with customers. He was arrested by police on February 8 in Susans Road.

Officers from Sussex Police, Surrey Police and the Metropolitan Police worked as part of a joint investigation under Operation Orochi and Operation Centurion, with the objective of disrupting county lines drug dealing in Sussex.

County lines is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, often across police and local authority boundaries usually by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs.

Evidence showed Farley had agreed to supply cannabis and cocaine and following an investigation by Eastbourne CID, he was charged.

At Lewes Crown Court on March 10 he admitted two counts of being concerned in the supply of drugs. Farley was sentenced to two years and two months in prison.

Chief inspector Di Lewis said: “Farley came to the attention of the police because of bulk advertising messages. A search at his home address later found mobile phones he had used, linked to drug dealing.

“This case demonstrates how we have worked in partnership with the Metropolitan Police in order to tackle county lines drug dealing. It also shows determination to catch offenders and disrupt the supply of drugs in Eastbourne which cause so much harm in our communities.”

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