A drug dealer trying to evade police was ultimately caught after mistakenly connecting to a public WiFi network.
A drug dealer trying to evade police was ultimately caught after mistakenly connecting to a public WiFi network. Joel Louis, 34, was arrested following a Metropolitan Police investigation into the ‘Bobby’ drugs line, which involved the supply of illegal substances in north Kilburn. The investigation began after officers seized mobile phones from children suspected of being recruited to distribute drugs.
Louis, who was allegedly in charge of the operation, had taken several precautions to stay off the police radar. He reportedly routed all his devices through a virtual private network (VPN) in an attempt to conceal his digital activity.
But his elaborate efforts unravelled when he logged into a public WiFi network while hiding at an address in Wembley. Police were able to use the connection to identify his location.
On July 7, officers descended on the property and found Louis attempting to hide inside a wardrobe. As he was arrested, he asked: ‘How did you find me?’
An examination of his phone revealed the scale of his alleged operation. Louis had been receiving more than 100 calls every day from nearly 250 drug users. He had also allegedly boasted to some of them that he owned a firearm.
The raid uncovered a haul of Class A drugs, including cocaine and heroin, worth an estimated £8,800 on the street. Officers also seized around £8,000 in cash and six mobile phones, including the device used to operate the ‘Bobby’ drugs line.
Police further discovered a loaded firearm concealed inside a box at the property, along with 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Three rounds were already loaded into the firearm’s magazine. A machete and a flip knife were also found at the address.
Louis was charged with two counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
On Friday, September 11, Louis was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison for offences linked to the supply of cocaine and heroin in north Kilburn.
Detective Constable Lauren Gresty, who led the investigation, said: ‘Louis recruited numerous young people to move drugs around north Kilburn, exposing them to violence, intimidation and criminality for his own financial gain.
‘County lines devastate lives. It is far more than drug dealing. It causes damage to local communities through its connections to acquisitive crimes and anti-social behavior.
‘Louis believed he could hide from police to further his offending, but this result shows our tenacity in going after those who cause the most harm in London.’