London man charged with controlling county drugs line in to Bury St Edmunds

Police have arrested and charged a man with drug offences linked to Bury St Edmunds.

Officers from the Met police arrested a man on Tuesday 4 May in London as part of Operation Orochi and he was taken to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

Kasende Kasongo, aged 29 and from Grosvenor Road in London, was charged with being concerned in the supplying cocaine and being concerned in the supply of heroin, both between 12 September 2020 and 5 May 2021 in Bury St Edmunds and Basildon in Essex, as well as a third charge of possession of cannabis.

He was remanded to appear before Ipswich Magistrates Court this morning (6 May) where he was further remanded.

Operation Orochi, led by the Metropolitan Police, has been in place in Suffolk since February 2020. It focuses on tackling drugs supply offences and County Lines by arresting the line controller, rather than the person transporting the drugs. Officers from the Serious Crime Disruption Team (SCDT) in Suffolk will share intelligence with a dedicated team at the Met, who will then investigate in order to identify the line controller and their location.

If you suspect drug dealing is taking place in your area or see anything suspicious or out of place, please tell us. You don’t have to be certain, just concerned. Call police on 101, or alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers to report anonymously – either online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111.