Seventeen arrests as AS Police target West Country drugs supply
It was part of a week of action across the South West
Last updated 6th Dec 2024
Seventeen people have been arrested by Avon and Somerset Police during a week of action targeting county lines drug dealing across the force area.
From 25th November to 1st December officers joined colleagues across the South West in targeting drug traffickers who often recruit children and vulnerable adults to supply drugs across the country.
The "County Line" is the mobile phone used by traffickers to take orders.
As well as carrying out searches at locations of interest, officers also visited addresses where residents are considered at risk of "cuckooing", which is when vulnerable people are coerced or coned into letting their property be used by dealers.
As well as the 17 arrests officers also seized five County Lines phones, visited 18 addresses considered at risk of cuckooing and referred two cases to a scheme which identifies potential victims of modern slavery, among other things.
Assistant Chief Constable Jon Cummins said: “At the heart of everything we do are the victims. We work continuously through engagement, education and training to prevent children, young people and vulnerable adults from being drawn into the county lines model.
"Where they are, we work to protect them from harm whilst relentlessly pursuing the criminals who exploit them, now sometimes through victimless prosecutions - which rely on evidence gathered rather than the testimony of those involved - to charge individuals with their crimes.
“We are working to target the line holders, shut down the lines and arrest those who have been profiteering for drugs offences and, where appropriate, modern slavery offences. We are dedicated to bringing those responsible for violence and exploitation to justice.”
In the Shirehampton area of Bristol officers went to a house after getting a report of cannabis being grown inside and found more than 250 mature plants. A man was also found hiding under a bed who was then arrested and had his phone seized.
In Bridgwater officers arrested two people at an address where they also found drugs and drug paraphernalia. The resident was also safeguarded from cuckooing.
Police forces in Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire also took part.
If you have any suspicions of drug crime or exploitation happening in your area, you can report it online here or by calling 101.
You can also give information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
In an emergency always call 999.