Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has praised officers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for their rigorous disruption of drug gangs across the 2 counties.
The County Lines Intensification Week – coordinated by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) – ran from 9th to 15th October 2023.
Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 15 County Lines were disrupted with 87 arrests, and the seizure of £51,400 in cash and £106,000 worth of drugs.
There were also 203 stop and searches, 13 drug warrants executed, and 159 mobile phones seized.
PCC Donna Jones said:
“County Line gangs are ferocious and destructive forces that sweep through our communities destroying everything in their path, so I’m really pleased that this unrelenting action across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has sent such a clear message to these despicable criminals.”
County lines refers to organised criminal groups (OCGs), who use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.
The OCGs exploit vulnerable people – including children – by recruiting them to distribute the drugs and these criminals can also use a vulnerable person’s home as their base, known as ‘cuckooing’.
During the week of action, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary visited 62 cuckooed addresses, and 58 vulnerable people – including 2 children – were referred to support services.
Nationally, 250 county lines were taken down, with 1,613 arrests and over 100kg of cannabis and £1.2million of Class A drugs seized.
PCC Donna Jones says her message is clear:
“I’m working hard to keep the public safe and help sustain thriving communities free from violence and exploitation, and I’m committed to making sure that this ruthless targeting of County Lines is a constant policing priority each and every day.
“We won’t tolerate illegal drugs of any kind in Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and the Constabulary won’t stop targeting these appalling criminals who ruin lives and neighbourhoods.”
Why do they only do things like this for a week? Fighting drug suppliers and dealers, seizing weapons etc. should have a permanent team in all counties. 1 week in 52 isn’t going to solve the ever evolving problems.
Exactly! It needs to be ongoing
Well done.
Now about tackling the following issues that take place on a daily basis.
No.1 vehicles parked on both side of Regent Street Shanklin
some outside Yummy Tummy’s and Domino’s Pizza.
No.2 Stop vehicles turning into the NO Right turn Road off of Brading High Street into
West Street.
No.3 Stop vehicles parking on Double Yellow Lines outside the Pier and nr the Premier inn.
Thank you and well done again
So many people on the Island dont seem to understand Traffic Rules
You clearly know nothing of how these vile thugs work destroying innocent families by luring in young vulnerable people and then controlling them with threats to their family’s also extracting money from the victims. This seriously needs to be wiped out and comparing this to traffic crimes is complete nonsense !
I have seen TOP BOY on Netflix.
ALL crimes need targeting.
There is an enormous opportunity on the island for the
Council and the law to make a fortune from fining law breakers.
Everytime I drive along and look in my rear view mirror
90% of the time the rear driver is texting whilst driving.
Why are there so many dopes driving on island Roads.
There are far far worse crimes than parking on yellow lines my friend.
Some people don’t place the right things in their waste bins.
So let’s get our priorities right
No wonder the island is in a mess.
Not when you are trying to push a pram along
Good point.
IW Council could help with traffic crime
Placing of Camera’s etc and regular visits from
Civil Enforcement Officers will solve the parking on Yellow Lines
crimes, leaving the Law to tackle other crimes.
Everyone’s a winner – Chicken Dinner
The general public found more drugs while walking down the beach.
Just walk along Ryde, Sandown or Shanklin High Streets
You can smell the sh@T everywhere.
Recently visiting my parents resting place a strong smell of weed was among the head stones.
Not sure if this was someone who had thrown a butt end down or could it be just the perfect hiding place for drugs to be hidden and then picked up, we did wonder.
Was that in Lane End Cemetery in Bembridge? As often packages are passed by an older guy with a dog to younger guys on bikes Similar in Stene park only there a young person on a bike exchanges something with cars that meet him in car park despite CCTV.
They know nothing will happen
Waste of tax payer’s money they will only do it again
Brilliant work from all the officers involved in this operation. Much More needs to be done though. Bring all the drug dealing scum bags down.