Weapons, drugs and cash seized in county lines gang crackdown across Lancashire
46 people have been arrested, including three under-18s
46 people were arrested across Lancashire last week in a crackdown on County Lines gangs.
Cash and thousands of pounds worth of drugs were seized - along with 20 mobile phones, four machetes, six knives, a hunting knife and a knuckleduster.
County Lines is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, usually by children or vulnerable adults who are coerced into doing it by criminal gangs.
Of the 46 arrested - 34 are men, nine are women and three are under-18s.
Becky Smith, Lancashire Police's lead for County Lines, said:
"We are working harder than ever to crack down on County Lines criminals who bring drug dealing and violence into our communities. County Lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other forms of ‘deal line’, often exploiting children and vulnerable people to move drugs and money.
"This week’s activity is a snapshot of the work carried out across Lancashire every single day to disrupt those involved in organised crime and tackle County Lines. Along with our partners in Children’s Social Services, Health and Education, we will continue this work, also driving awareness in schools and identifying those vulnerable to exploitation so that we can provide appropriate safeguarding.
"Our intention is to make Lancashire an uncomfortable place for these criminals to operate and we are committed to continuing to work alongside our partners and other forces to close down these lines, protect vulnerable people and remove those who exploit from our streets."
Lancashire Police also visited more than 160 vulnerable people on County Lines Intensification week, visited schools and went to bus stations, train stations and taxi ranks to deliver leaflets about County Lines.
During the school visits, officers spoke about how gangs criminally exploit children and adults and the signs to look out for.
They include children regularly going missing and then returning home, having more clothes, mobile phones or cash than usual, getting excessive text messages or phone calls, and struggling with school.
More than 1,000 people were arrested and around £2.5million worth of drugs were seized in raids across the UK last week.