A man from Norwood has been sentenced for 24 years following a Met investigation into gang gun crime in south London which also led to another man, from Woodside, appearing in court for dealing in cannabis after recruiting smugglers with ads on Snapchat.
The Thailand run: Giovanni Bennett recruited young women to smuggle cannabis from the Far East
Ayman Benhalima, 22, of Bloomhall Road, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday after being found guilty of attempted murder for a shooting last December, and also pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply cannabis and possession of criminal property at his trial in the summer.
At a court hearing in July, Giovanni Bennett, 23, of Woodside Green, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the importation of cannabis and possession of criminal property.
The convictions follow an investigation into a shooting on Dunbar Street, off Norwood High Street, on December 16 last year, which uncovered a drug-dealing operation which had seen teenagers groomed into bringing drugs into London. “The case shows the inextricable link between drug-dealing and violence,” the Met said.
Long stretch: Ayman Benhalima was sentenced to 24 years for attempted murder
At just before 10pm on a Monday night last December, the police responded to reports of gunshots in SE27.
Benhalima had fired a gun at someone driving an Audi, believed to be a member of a rival gang. Benhalima and Bennett then fled the scene.
The Met said: “Detectives from the Trident team used a music video, which had been filmed on the night, to prove the pair’s guilt. Both were seen to be in the same clothing as the assailants who had been pictured at the scene.”
Detectives used cell data and CCTV to support their other forensic evidence, placing Benhalima and Bennett at the shooting. The police then raided the suspects’ homes.
Packages of drugs and cash were found “as well as images of their drug dealing on their devices”.
The Met said: “This led detectives to discover that the duo were involved in encouraging young girls and women to import drugs into London from Thailand for a large cash fee.” Bennett advertised the drug-dealing “opportunity” on Snapchat.
Detective Inspector Ray Sekalongo, who led the investigation, said: “Firearm offences have a devastating impact on victims, families, and our communities.
“Our priority is not only to bring offenders to justice but also to safeguard young and vulnerable people who are at risk of being exploited through gang crime and drugs.”
The Met says that firearms incidents in the capital have decreased by 88% since 2018. “Met teams also safeguarded 260 vulnerable and young people to prevent them from becoming involved in future organised crime, with officers making crucial interventions to keep them safe within the last year,” the Met said.
Giovanni Bennett is due to be sentenced next month.
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