Twenty-six arrests as £75,000 worth of drugs seized in new county lines crackdown

Officers carried out a targeted operation on individuals and locations to disrupt drugs supply across Staffordshire as well as identifying vulnerable victims during County Lines Intensification Week.

The major operation saw police close down four so-called county lines, safeguard 14 people and confiscate almost 1kg of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin, worth more than £75,000.

County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups supply drugs from cities into smaller towns and rural areas using dedicated telephone numbers.

The force said that between October 9 and 15 officers visited 46 addresses of potential victims of suspected cuckooing where such criminals take over the homes of vulnerable residents to use the property as a base for drug trafficking.

Following tip-offs from members of the public and intelligence, almost £5,000 in cash and 932 cannabis plants were also seized along with a large number of dangerous weapons and illegal knives.

Detective Superintendent Nicki Addison, from Staffordshire Police's major and organised crime department, said: "Although we proactively target county lines criminality throughout the year, this intensification week gave us the opportunity to work as team across the force and with partners to target those causing harm in our communities.

"This helped us to identify those causing harm, bring people to justice whilst also stopping four major drug lines operating in Staffordshire. This was the largest number of drugs we’ve seized and the greatest number of county lines we’ve closed down during an intensification week.

"There was a massive effort across the force but special recognition should go to the force’s major and organised crime proactive teams which worked relentlessly and long hours to ensure those arrested were charged and remanded in custody. Nine were charged and remanded with offences ranging from possession with intent to supply class A drugs, acquiring criminal property and producing cannabis.

"Going forwards, with our partners, we are committed to tackling this criminality through targeting the crime groups responsible, ensuring that we continue to protect our most vulnerable and make Staffordshire a safe place for our communities.

"We would also like to thank the public for their support and reporting their concerns to us. We are encouraging the public to continue to report their concerns to us so we can take appropriate action and tackle the supply of illegal drugs in Staffordshire.”

In addition officers carried out school visits to lead more than 80 awareness sessions, leaflet drops and online engagement sessions.

Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, Ben Adams, said: “There is no such thing as victimless drug use – drugs can be a major factor in a range of crimes, from acquisitive crimes to fund addiction, to knife crime and other serious violence offences.

“County lines also damages the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities, exploiting children and others to carry, store and sell the drugs, and I welcome Staffordshire Police’s work to remove organised criminality from our streets.”