Nineteen arrested as police target Stevenage County Lines drug gangs
Fifteen people have been charged following a large-scale operation
Nineteen people have been arrested during a major operation targeting County Lines drug gangs operating in Stevenage.
The operation, which involved Hertfordshire Constabulary’s County Lines Investigation Unit along with partner agencies, included raids at addresses across Hertfordshire, Luton, and London between 18th and 27th November.
Fifteen of those arrested have since been charged with drug offences, while four others have been released as investigations continue.
More than £27,000 in cash, large amounts of suspected drugs, several weapons including bladed items and a crossbow, were seized during the raids.
The individuals charged include people aged from 18 to 57 living in areas such as Stevenage, North London, and East London.
Detective Inspector Mike McCoy, of Hertfordshire Constabulary, said the operation targeted over a dozen County Lines gangs in Stevenage.
“These drug lines are run by organised crime groups who use violence and commit a whole range of crimes that pose a real threat to the community,” McCoy said.
He urged members of the public to report information about drug-related activity, saying that even small pieces of information could help identify and apprehend drug dealers.
Detective Inspector Kelly Gray, the County Lines Coordinator at the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, highlighted the harm caused by County Lines operations.
“County drugs lines cause significant harm throughout our communities, whether that’s the devastating impact of the substances themselves, the knock-on criminality as users look to fund their habit, or the exploitation of young and vulnerable people by organised gangs,” Gray said.
Stevenage Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Councillor Tom Plater, commended the operation’s efforts to protect residents and combat anti-social behaviour.
“Disrupting County Lines is vital to ensure we keep our most vulnerable residents safe and is a key part of our work to tackle anti-social behaviour and violence in Stevenage,” Plater said.
Additional support was provided by the Metropolitan Police Service, National County Lines Co-ordination Centre, and Eastern Region Special Operations Unit.
Police say the County Lines Investigation Unit, launched in 2018, has carried out significant work, including over 500 arrests, hundreds of search warrants, and the dismantling of numerous drug gangs.
The team has seized more than £650,000 in cash and contributed to offenders being sentenced to over 860 years in prison collectively.