County lines drug dealer jailed for nine years

A drug dealer who was involved in a county lines network has been jailed.

Kareem Derhim was arrested after police found heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine and cannabis at his home in Sheffield in December 2023, as well as live ammunition being stored in a safe.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, possession of cannabis and acquiring ammunition for a firearm without a certificate at Sheffield Crown Court on 10 March.

Derhim, of Oxspring Bank, Sheffield, was sentenced on the same day to nine years and two months in prison.

The drugs recovered at his address were estimated to have a street value of £5,500 to £7,800 and the drugs line which Derhim was involved with had an estimated value of £224,000, the court heard.

Furthermore, in May 2024 officers discovered crack cocaine and heroin during a search of a BMW linked to Derhim.

He initially denied all the charges but changed his plea to guilty on the day his trial was due to start.

Sgt Paul Ganecki from South Yorkshire Police said: "I am glad to see Derhim receive a lengthy sentence for his involvement in the trade of destructive drugs.

"The county lines operation, which Derhim was a part of, traded quantities of Class A drugs valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds, but the true cost is far more than financial."

Derhim pleaded not guilty to four other charges consisting of concern in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine and one further count each of possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

These charges will remain on file, the court said.

Sgt Ganecki added: "Illegal drugs devastate lives and communities, and county lines operations exploit vulnerable people in an effort to peddle these substances across the county."

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North