27 arrests as North Yorkshire police tackle "county lines" drug dealing
The force has carried out a series of raids during a week of action
Raids have been taking place across North Yorkshire as officers try to protect vulnerable people being exploited by criminal gangs. 27 people have been arrested as part of a planned operation to tackle "county lines" drug dealing. Two bladed weapons were recovered as well as over £5,000 in cash and drugs worth an estimated £10,000.
Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Simpson said in a statement: 'Although this is a fantastic set of results from the last seven days, it’s important to stress that this is very much business as usual for North Yorkshire Police. Our teams are out and about conducting warrants and intercepting the supply of drugs week in week out.'
What is County Lines drug dealing?
County lines is the name given to a form of organised crime in which drug dealers from larger cities exploit vulnerable people - including children - and force them to deal drugs in smaller towns and cities. It takes its name from the mobile phone lines used by dealers to communicate between towns and advertise their drugs for sale.
What have North Yorkshire police been doing?
Several teams were deployed to work on the week of action. The force’s intelligence team were responsible for working within the community to identify suspects and vehicles involved in the supply of drugs. The dedicated County lines team were out on the streets proactively stopping people and vehicles that are linked to the supply of drugs. The Operational Support Unit also assisted with proactive patrols and the execution of warrants across the county.
Specialist drugs dogs were used in a joint operation. This included officers from the Operation Expedite Team, Harrogate Neighbourhood Policing Team as well as licencing officers from North Yorkshire County Council. The dogs were used to disrupt the supply of drugs linked to the night time economy in Harrogate and Ripon.
What are the signs that someone is involved in County Lines?
• Persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out-of-area
• Unexplained money, clothes, or mobile phones
• Excessive receipt of texts / phone calls
• Relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups
• Leaving home / care without explanation
• Suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries
• Carrying weapons
• Significant decline in school results / performance
• Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks
• Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being
• Travelling long distances on public transport - is it term time? Should they be in school? Are they paying high cost fares with cash?