A drug dealer who took extensive measures to conceal his location was tracked down after accidentally connecting to public Wi-Fi and was found by police hiding inside a wardrobe.
A drug dealer who tried to conceal his location from police has been jailed for 12 years after an accidental Wi-Fi connection helped officers track him down.
Joel Louis, 34, of Ealing Road, Wembley, was identified during a Metropolitan Police investigation into the “Bobby” drugs line.
Detectives had been examining mobile phones seized from children suspected of involvement in drug supply.
Police said the person controlling the line had taken extensive measures to hide his location, including running devices through a virtual private network, or VPN.
However, investigators were able to identify Louis after he inadvertently connected to a public Wi-Fi network at the address where he was staying.
Armed with that information, officers executed a warrant at the Wembley property on 7 July.
Louis attempted to hide inside a wardrobe but was quickly discovered by officers. During his arrest, he reportedly asked police: “How did you find me?”
Analysis of his phone found he was receiving more than 100 calls a day from a contact list containing nearly 250 drug users.
A search of the property recovered cocaine and heroin with an estimated street value of £8,800, around £8,000 in cash and six mobile phones. One was identified as the device used to operate the Bobby line.
Officers also recovered a loaded firearm, 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a machete and a flip knife.
Louis was charged with two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
Detective Constable Lauren Gresty, who led the investigation, said Louis had recruited numerous young people to move drugs around North Kilburn, exposing them to violence, intimidation and criminality for his own financial gain.
She said the case demonstrated that those responsible for causing serious harm in London would continue to be pursued by police.
Louis has now been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
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