Dozens arrested in county lines drugs crackdown in Kent
Police forces have been targeted county lines networks.
Drugs worth 1.2 million pounds have been seized during a major week of action in England and Wales.
Police forces have been targeted county lines networks - arresting more than 1,600 suspected members.
In Kent, police arrested 34 people - seizing almost a thousand wraps of heroin and crack cocaine.
Since 2020, enforcement action by Kent Police has seen the number of active county lines fall more than 50 per cent, from 82 to a current estimated total of 37. The latest week of intensification has caused significant disruption to many of these remaining criminal enterprises, with further arrests and drug seizures across the county.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Ross, of the Kent Crime Squad, said: "During this week our enforcement has led to significant disruption to at least 18 county line networks. Action by our officers has resulted in 60 charges being made and several suspects remanded in custody.
"This latest week of intensification is in addition to our determined and sustained focus around identifying and tackling those associated with drugs supply and gangs, and since 2020 we have more than halved the number of county lines operating in Kent.
"We have dedicated teams of officers, both uniformed and in plain clothes, committed to targeting those responsible for the misery and destruction of lives connected to harmful substances such as heroin and cocaine. Anyone who deals in drugs can expect a robust response. Expect to be arrested and put before the courts. We also continue to need your help, so remember to report any suspicious behaviour."