A drug dealer who was in charge of a county line estimated to have sold more than half a kilo of cocaine and heroin in Norfolk has been jailed. 

Nathan Sadik, 25, ran the so-called ‘Simon’ mobile phone line between London and street dealers in Norwich and Great Yarmouth. 

During a three month period between September and November last year he was responsible for sending out more than 1,100 text messages offering drugs for sale, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Oliver Haswell, prosecuting, said: “This was a classic marketing strategy to send out bulk messages offering to supply crack and heroin.”

On one day alone, October 19, dozens of messages were sent including those stating “3 for £20”, “got both” and “Simon active all day”, references to drugs being offered.

Police estimated the quantity of drugs sold over the period via the line at 0.64 kilograms, the court was told.

Mr Haswell said: “This was a very busy county line responsible for the sale of a large amount of drugs.”

Phone analysis had tracked the ‘Simon’ line SIM card frequently travelling between London and Norfolk at the same time as Sadik’s personal mobile, he added.

Sadik, from Southall in west London, who was found in possession of almost £3,000 in cash when arrested, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Ian James, mitigating, said: “He accepts the involvement with this phone, but he is not ‘Simon’. This was not his line. 

“He was not a large direct beneficiary himself.”

Jailing him for five years Judge Anthony Bate said he had been “in control of the line” and had played a “significant role”.

Earlier this month Norfolk police revealed they had shut down 74 county lines since 2019 with 82 dealers being jailed for a total of 315 years.