Hampshire Constabulary has been focusing its efforts on ‘county lines’, dismantling 15 networks as part of a national week of intensification to tackle the drug supply and related high harm that brings violence and misery to communities, and exposes young people at risk to exploitation.
48 arrests were made in relation to county lines offences over the course of the week, with 12 warrants completed; 49 mobile phones recovered; just over £19,000 in cash found; 8 knives, 5 firearms and large quantities of Class A and B drugs seized.
Head of Serious Organised Crime, Detective Superintendent Nick Plummer, said:
“Our fight against drugs in Hampshire continues at pace. We are working harder than ever to crack down on county lines, which bring misery to communities in the form of drug dealing and violence.
“County lines operators adapt their system in response to relentless pressure from police forces. They vary their illegal activities to avoid law enforcement and seek new ways of exploiting vulnerable people in different areas of the country to run drugs for them. Our work during County lines week maintains this pressure on drug dealing lines, driving the harm they pedal from our communities, through the closure of drug dealing lines across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and safeguarding victims.
“We are continuously working to identify new ways to crack down on this abhorrent crime with the ongoing support from our partners in health, housing, the National Crime Agency and other police forces. The results of this week of intensification speak for themselves with 48 arrests and 14 vulnerable people safeguarded. Large quantities of Class A drugs and offensive weapons and imitation firearms taken off our streets.
“Safeguarding groups and charities are a vital tool in the fight against county lines and we encourage members of the public to come forward with information to help those vulnerable people, including children, to be safeguarded.
“The success of these operations wouldn’t be possible without the intelligence that you, the community provide. Even the smallest pieces of information that is provided can often benefit our investigations. I’d like to thank the public for their assistance in continuing to report crime and intelligence to us either directly or via the independent charity Crimestoppers.”
Article continues below this advertisement
For more information on spotting the signs of exploitation please visit The Children Society’s website https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/child-criminal-exploitation-and-county-lines/spotting-signs.
Keep blazing ahead and find those scummy county lines drug dealers. No place for them anywhere, especially on the island.
Great job to all involved in finding and arresting these wasters. Hopefully they won’t be back.
I take it the results are for both Hampshire and Isle of Wight, would help if they gave the areas of successful arrests.
Should focus on those around Cowes and Ryde as well please,we need this nasty bunch of people off our Island so as kid’s can grow up free if grooming and bullying.
And freshwater
Pan estate needs looking at
Good, they usually cant help driving some A series audi/merc/bmw/ as they are so thick they think they are in something special, makes them easy to spot. keep it up police, stop and search 24/7, its the only way to stop them ruining lives and areas.
WE NEED ANPR CAMERAS AT ALL ACCESS POINTS TO OUR VEHICLE FERRIES IN SOUTHAMPTON & PORTSMOUTH. PICK UP THE CRIMINALS BEFORE THEY GET ON THE FERRIES, THERE SHOULD ALSO BE RANDOM DRUG DOG CHECKS ON ALL PASSENGER AND CAR FERRIES.
MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR THESE EVIL DEALERS – PLEASURE BOAT MOORINGS ALSO NEED SPOT CHECKS BY DRUG DOGS.
WE NEED TO DENT THEIR CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE CAUGHT AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY WHEN BRINGING FILTHY DRUGS TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT.
Credit to the police where it’s due – this is what we need more of and I know from experience this is what police officers want to be doing rather than acting as social workers.
Great work by police keep it up , but the courts must ,must come down hard on these scum bags to justify all the time and effort of the police and the misery they cause to society
well done to all involved in busting this lot