15 arrests as part of County Lines Intensification Week

Northamptonshire Police joined colleagues from across the UK to target those people involved in county lines last week.

In the latest national County Lines Intensification Week, officers took part in proactive activity, executing a series of warrants while also taking part in engagement activity to help inform people about county lines and the risk associated with it.

During the course of the week 15 people were arrested, four people were safeguarded and 20 addresses where there are concerns of cuckooing taking place, visited.

A number of seizures were made, including the recovery of an imitation firearm which was discovered by a police dog, a police style baton located in a wheelie bin and the significant seizure of 66 grams of crack cocaine.

Sergeant Tom Griffin, from Northamptonshire Police, said: “Last week was a national initiative focused on county lines and the impact they have in our communities.

“Northamptonshire Police work closely with metropolitan police forces to identify drugs lines, dismantle them, obtain successful prosecutions and protect vulnerable people.

“Whilst the intensification week focuses attention on the risk of county lines, we continue to prioritise tackling drug harm at all times.”

During the course of the week, across the UK:

• 1360 people were arrested
• 321 weapons were seized, including 43 firearms and 228 bladed weapons
• Over £2.7m worth of Class A & Class B drugs seized
• 13.9 kg of Crack Cocaine, 15.3 kg of Heroine, 48.1 kg of Cocaine and 69kg of Cannabis seized
• £987,562 in cash seized

 

Detective Superintendent Lee McBride, Head of Proactive Crime and Intelligence, said: “County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

“They will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons to exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, to distribute and store drugs, often referred to as ‘drug running’.

“We are committed to tackling these gangs and have officers and staff dedicated to disrupting their activities and pursuing charges at every available opportunity.

“We’re also working closely with partners to help divert people away from this lifestyle which never has a positive outcome for those involved.”

If anyone has information about county lines or any other drug related intelligence please call us on 101, report online Something you've seen or heard | Northamptonshire Police (northants.police.uk) or  contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

 

Signs that county lines gangs operating in your area can include:

• An increase in visitors and cars to a house or flat
• New faces appearing at the house or flat
• New and regularly changing residents (eg different accents compared to local accent)
• Change in resident's mood and/or demeanour (e.g. secretive/ withdrawn/ aggressive/ emotional)
• Substance misuse and/or drug paraphernalia
• Changes in the way young people you might know dress
• Unexplained, sometimes unaffordable new things (eg clothes, jewellery, cars etc)
• Residents or young people you know going missing, maybe for long periods of time
• Young people seen in different cars/taxis driven by unknown adults
• Young people seeming unfamiliar with your community or where they are
• Truancy, exclusion, disengagement from school
• An increase in anti-social behaviour in the community
• Unexplained injuries