A “callous couple” who made a 13-year-old boy shift crack and heroin between London and Kent from their Surrey Quays flat have been jailed.
When police burst in on the duo in September 2020, they discovered them lounging around on a bed made from two sofas pushed together, from which they conducted their business.
Devon McCallum, 28 and Nardia Seedat, 27, of Water Gardens Square, off Surrey Quays Road, were sentenced to a combined twelve-years on 21 October.
During a two-week trial at Inner London Crown Court, the pair were found guilty of charges including conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine. Seedat was also found guilty of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply.
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Detective Superintendent Gareth Williams, BTP’s County Lines Taskforce lead, said: “Sadly, it is not uncommon for drug suppliers to use children to transport drugs on the railway.
“The 13-year-old boy my team successfully safeguarded is the youngest we’ve encountered being exploited – we routinely come across teenagers in our work.
“McCallum and Seedat are a callous pair of criminals who controlled a child for their own financial gain. I hope their adequately strong sentences serve as a stark warning to offenders – we will catch you and put you behind bars.”
A judge sentenced McCallum to nine years’ imprisonment, and Seedat to three years and six months.
When police discovered and arrested the boy at Rochester Railway Station, he was carrying £1,500 cash and a Samsung phone.
Data downloaded from the phone showed calls and texts from a contact saved as ‘SYK’, ordering the child to take the 4.55pm train from Deptford to Rochester on that day. Police said it later emerged that ‘SYK’ was McCallum.
Communication data from cell sites found the two numbers were in constant contact with the 13-year-old’s phone throughout September as he travelled between London and Kent.
Police tracked the cell data to the Surrey Quays property, executed a search warrant, and discovered McCallum and Seedat asleep on their makeshift bed, on 25 September 2020.
They seized three mobile phones, including two handsets and arrested the duo.
Police discovered that McCallum had been on an electronic tag curfew, requiring him to be at the address between the hours of 9pm and 7am.
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In interviews with police McCallum tried to distance himself from the Surrey Quays address, saying his friend let him stay there and “lots of people come and go”.
Seedat, who was found in police custody to be concealing 14 wraps of heroin and one of crack cocaine, responded “no comment” to all questions put to her during an interview. But police said just before its conclusion she stated, “I’m not involved in trafficking”.
Detective Superintendent Gareth Williams said: “If you spot the signs of child exploitation on the railway network, I urge you to report it to us by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40. No report is too small or too trivial.”