A crackdown by police across Staffordshire has seen drugs worth more than £75,000 seized.
The week-long campaign targeting county lines gangs – which use children and vulnerable people to move drugs from large cities to smaller towns and rural areas – also saw 14 people safeguarded by officers.
Drugs such as cocaine and heroin were seized in raids across the county along with weapons, £5,000 in cash and more than 930 cannabirs plants, while 26 people were arrested.
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.
“It 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, who 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.”
Det Supt Nicki Addison
Police also thanked residents for reporting concerns which led to intelligence on potential county lines activity.
Staffordshire Commissioner 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.”
Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams
