Drill rap drugs gang member jailed for 20 weeks for breaching injunction banning them from Thurrock

A MEMBER of a drill rap street gang, involved in exploiting children to deal drugs using the 'county lines' system, who breached an injunction banning them from parts of Thurrock six times has been jailed for 20-weeks.

Carlito Hall, 21, (above) is a member of the C17 street gang in Thurrock, Essex, who were made the subject of a gang injunction.

C17 was thought to be the first urban street gang to be established in Essex.

Under the terms of the court order Hall and other specified C17 gang members are banned from large parts of Thurrock.

The injunction also prevents them from: wearing any hooded items of clothing, except in bad weather, associating with other members of the gang specified by the order, or congregating in a public place in a group of two or more where the group is behaving in a way likely to make a personal feel intimidated or afraid for their safety.

Despite the order, Hall was caught wearing a hooded top, being in possession of mobile phones which weren’t registered under the injunction, but most prominently being in possession of items used in drug supply.

HOODIES: A still from a C17 Drill video on YouTube

At a hearing at Chelmsford County Court yesterday, Friday October 2, Hall of Lewis Avenue, Walthamstow, east London, was sentenced to 20-weeks in prison for the six breaches of the gang injunction.

Under the terms of the order gang members are banned from: entering Grays town centre, park, Lakeside and Grays Beach Riverside Park.

They are also banned from making drill videos, wearing hoodies or face coverings, associating with C17 members and, for some, being in the company of girls aged under 16. The gang members must also give Essex Police all details of their social media profiles.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "The gang first came to the attention of the police Operation Raptor team in May 2017 as they became heavily involved in drug dealing and violence.

"The gang had been plaguing the town centre, town park and beach areas of Grays as well as Lakeside, dealing drugs in those areas and committing crime and disorder."

The force said the gang used tactics used by county lines dealers including exploiting children and vulnerable drug addicts.

The spokesman added: "Evidence gathered by police, included detail of how the gang have preyed on young children in the community, enticing them into the gang and then exploiting them by getting them to run drugs, carry cash from deals or knives.

"The younger members are also used to act as 'spotters' or 'distracters' to look out for police whilst others are carrying out deals.

"The C17 are also known to target vulnerable drug users, using violence and intimidation to take over their homes for use as a drug dealing base (a practice known as ‘cuckooing’).

"Violence around the gang is mainly borne out of rivalry with other gangs and drug lines. The violence and rivalry has played out in numerous so-called ‘drill’ music videos filmed by members of C17 which feature weapons and provocative language and gestures."

Drill is a type of rap music that originated in South Chicago in America. It features dark, violent lyrics and often used to perpetuate and even escalate gang disputes.

If you spot the C17 gang in areas of Thurrock which they are banned from or breaching any of the specified terms of the order, call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Essex Police set up Operation Raptor teams in the North, South and West of the county to tackle drug and gang-related violence.