Op Darwins: Joint Met enforcements smash drug lines in Skegness

Five drugs lines closed, ten arrests made, nine people charged, plus significant quantities of drugs seized were the result of a major crackdown on drugs in Skegness in July.

Officers from Skegness, working in partnership with The Metropolitan Police’s County Lines Taskforce Op Orochi, carried out eight days of targeted enforcements aimed at disrupting drug supply lines into Skegness. The operation was a resounding success, delivering outstanding results.

Warrants were carried out between 23 June and 8 July across Skegness and one in Birmingham. Officers seized five deal lines, ten people were arrested, nine of whom have been charged with drug related offences. Sizeable quantities of cocaine, heroin and cannabis and a significant quantity of cash were seized during the disruption. Quantities remain undisclosed while proceedings are active.

• James Rawson, 36, of Churchill Avenue, Skegness, is charged with being concerned in the supply of drugs class A – cocaine, and class B – cannabis, and is due to enter a plea to these charges on 10 August* at Lincoln Crown Court. He remains on bail with conditions.
• Andre Stewart, 25, of Destiny Road, Birmingham, pleaded guilty on 1 July at Lincoln Crown Court to two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs - crack cocaine and heroin, one count of possession with intent to supply class B drugs – cannabis. Quantities of cocaine, heroin and cannabis were seized during a warrant carried out at a property on Daisy Road on 30 June. Stewart is currently scheduled to be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on 24 August.
• Connor Teft, 26, of Fainlight Terrace, Drummond Road, Skegness, was charged with two counts of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug - crack cocaine and heroin. He was in breach of previous bail conditions and was subsequently recalled to prison where he awaits a plea trial hearing on 6 August.
• Christopher Cook, 25, of Albany Road, Skegness, at a hearing at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on 9 July pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a class A drug – crack cocaine, and with possession of cannabis. He was remanded to prison and is due to be sentenced on 21 August.
• Josh Lowey, 20, of Wainfleet Road, Skegness, has pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a class A drug – crack cocaine. He has been bailed from court on an electronic tag until a sentencing hearing, currently scheduled for 21 August at Lincoln Crown Court.
• Cohen Handley, 18, of Danial Close, Skegness pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs – cocaine, when he appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on 10 July. He has been released on conditional bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for 10 September at Lincoln Crown Court. Watch the video below of Handley's arrest.
• Aidan* Duke, 28, of Cecil Avenue, Skegness, was charged with two counts of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug – crack cocaine and heroin, being concerned in the production of a class A drug – cocaine and is due to enter a plea at a hearing scheduled for 7 August* at Lincoln Crown Court.
• Logan Hartley, 33, of St Albans Road, Arnold, Nottingham, was charged with three counts of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug – crack cocaine, cocaine, and heroin.  He is due to enter a plea at a hearing scheduled for 7 August* at Lincoln Crown Court.

In addition to those charged, a 20-year-old man from Louth was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs - class A – cocaine, and class B – cannabis, and has been bailed pending further investigation.A 41-year-old from Skegness was also dealt with for breaching conditions of a court warrant.

In a splinter, intelligence-led operation - while the taskforce was assembled - an opportunity to target a suspected line in Grantham was identified:

• Wade Smith, 40, of Gedney Avenue, Nottingham was arrested in the Thames Road area of Grantham. He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a class A drug (cocaine) and was recalled to prison. He is scheduled to appear at a mention hearing at Lincoln Crown Court on 14 August.

Detective Inspector Daniel Gstrein, who led the operation, said:

We know the devastating harm drugs cause in our communities, which is why we are relentlessly targeting those responsible for their supply and distribution. This recent enforcement activity has delivered significant disruption to drug lines operating across the area, but we know the problem has not gone away. Our work never stops in the background. We will continue to pursue offenders, dismantle criminal networks and protect our communities from the misery and exploitation that drug-related crime brings.

We also rely on information from the public, whose support remains crucial in helping us identify, disrupt and dismantle those involved in the drugs trade. I would urge anyone with concerns or information to keep reporting it to us. You may not always see immediate action, but every piece of information helps us build a stronger intelligence picture and can be the key to taking decisive action against those causing harm in our communities.

If you have any information or concerns in relation to drug supply in your area, please reach out. There are a number of ways you can do this:

• By calling 101 
• By telling us about concerns via the 'Tell us about' section of our website: https://www.lincs.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/
• Or anonymously, via the Crimestoppers website: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously
• All information is handled sensitively and confidentially. Together, we can continue to target drug-related crime to protect our communities.

*Amended 04/08/2026, 2:02pm

Seized during the arrest of Cohen Handley