Staffordshire Police have arrested 35 people and seized a handgun and more than £50,000-worth of drugs in a crackdown on county lines activity in Staffordshire.
From Monday 2 March to Sunday 8 March, they joined police forces across the UK to carry out enforcement and engagement activity for County Lines Intensification Week (CLIW).
In Staffordshire, officers recovered 540 deals of crack, 364 deals of heroin, 1-kilogramme of ketamine and 28-grammes of monkey dust. They also seized five drug line phones.
In addition, £31,461 in cash was recovered, along with six weapons, including a handgun, two machetes and a lock-knife.
Part of the intensification period saw officers deliver educational sessions to children and adults across the county, including leaflet drops to help people spot the signs of exploitation and signpost those at-risk to the relevant support groups.
Sixteen addresses were also visited that were marked as being potential ‘cuckooing’ locations – a term used to describe when gangs take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it as a base of their operations.
This normally involves the victim being manipulated, coerced and threatened into not telling anyone that it’s happening.
A county line is the criminal model where a dedicated phone number is used to advertise and supply drugs in our communities. A county line typically exploits vulnerable people (including children) to transport, store, or sell drugs.
The controllers of the line often reside in other larger cities. They are run by ‘line holders’ who are often linked to organised crime gangs (OCGs) and runners, usually children and young people, who deliver the drugs.
Superintendent Victoria Downing, head of major and organised crime, said: “Our dedicated proactive teams across the north and south of the county continue to relentlessly pursue and disrupt the OCGs behind county lines activity, while safeguarding those at risk of exploitation, including children.
“Tackling the supply of illegal drugs and the violence that accompanies it remains a top priority in Staffordshire.
“We work closely with local policing teams to take decisive action against offenders and to highlight the significant risks associated with carrying weapons. Our continued focus on dismantling county lines networks has been shown to reduce knife‑related violence and improve safety for vulnerable individuals.
“During our week of action, we removed a significant amount of illegal drugs and several weapons from the streets of Staffordshire, including machetes.
“The impact our activity is having on county lines is proven to reduce knife related violence. Recent government statics will suggest there has been a 25 per cent drop in hospital admissions for knife stabbings in the areas where large quantities of class A drugs originate.
“Our proactive policing directly enhances the safety of our communities and protects young people from harm.
“We will continue to be relentless and unapologetic in targeting criminals who seek to exploit our vulnerable and our children.”
UK-wide CLIW action resulted in 2,180 arrests for drug supply, modern slavery and weapons and more than 1,300 vulnerable people being safeguarded, including almost 800 children.
If you’re concerned about drug-related crime in your area or think someone may be a victim of drug exploitation, please call us on 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.
