Northampton drug line disconnected as county lines pair jailed

Two men have been jailed for a combined total of nine years for their pivotal role in supplying Class A drugs in Northampton following the disconnection of a drug line in the town.

Joab Mugugu, of Javelin Avenue, Birmingham, was handed a five-year prison term on May 29, after pleading guilty at Northampton Crown Court to two counts of being concerned in the supply of a controlled Class A drug.

Mugugu, aged 30, is the second man to be sentenced in connection with running the “Joey” drug line between October 2023 and January last year, after his co-defendant Kadeem Hodge also pleaded guilty to the same offences.

Hodge, aged 34, formerly of Ashburnham Road in Northampton, was sentenced to four years for his involvement in the drug operation at an earlier hearing at the county’s crown court on January 30.

In the autumn of 2023, officers from Northamptonshire Police’s Operation Revive West team started an investigation into a Class A drugs line operating under the name of “Joey” during which Hodge and Mugugu were identified as involved.

A joint agency visit to Hodge’s home on December 19, 2023, led to a search under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and the discovery of the “Joey” drug line handset in his bedroom drawer. A large quantity of cocaine was also seized inside the address.

He was arrested and subsequently released under investigation. However, on July 12, 2024, during a Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act stop-search at a Northampton supermarket, Hodge was found to be in possession of another Nokia handset containing the “Joey” line number.

Later that month (July 26), Operation Revive West officers stopped the occupants of a VW Golf car in Christchurch Road, Northampton. Hodge was behind the wheel and Mugugu was in the front passenger seat.

The pair were arrested after a large quantity of individual wraps of heroin and cocaine were found inside a KFC bag in the passenger footwell of the vehicle. They were released on police bail to allow officers to gather further material to show the true scale of the offending.

As part of the investigation, mobile phone data was extracted from several devices including the “Joey” drug line which not only showed bulk marketing messages promoting their deals, but also conversations about how much the pair were making per day.

On January 23, 2025, two Section 8 PACE warrants were executed at the defendant’s homes in Birmingham and Northampton. During the search of Mugugu’s bedroom, a mobile phone linked to the “Joey” line was seized in addition to individual bags of Class A drugs and a small amount of Class B cannabis.

During the search of Hodge’s bedroom, further crack cocaine in an uncut form was recovered and a vehicle registered to Hodge was located outside of the Northampton address.

A subsequent search of the car found another large quantity of drugs and documentation linking the vehicle to Hodge, including his driving licence and passport. Both men went on to be charged with two counts of Class A drug supply.

A Northamptonshire spokesperson said: “We know drug harm remains one of the biggest concerns among our local communities, and that is why it remains a priority for the Force to disrupt the supply chain.

“I am pleased with the sentences handed to both Hodge and Mugugu, and hope this is seen as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of dealing drugs in Northamptonshire – this will not be tolerated within our county.

“Drug harm remains a priority area for the Force, and we will continue to tenaciously enforce and disrupt drug dealers who prey on the most vulnerable people in our society and bring misery to our streets and communities.”

Suspicious behaviour you believe may be related to drug crime can be reported by calling 101 or visiting www.northants.police.uk/RO. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress or life is at risk.