North East County Lines arrests

Almost 100 arrested as officers stand united with partners in the fight against County Lines and drug supply.

Last week, police forces across the country took action and reaffirmed their commitment to tackling drug criminality as a week of intensification saw warrants executed and drugs seized - with 93 people arrested in Northumbria alone.

Officers from Northumbria Police were joined by the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU), local authorities and safeguarding partners and carried out several targeted operations across the Force area to safeguard vulnerable victims, shut down drug lines and educate young people around the dangers of becoming involved with drugs.

The national intensification week ran from October 3 until October 9 and is just one example of the ongoing targeted activity carried out by police and partners throughout the year to tackle County Lines and protect all those it impacts.

Warrants were executed at a number of premises believed to be involved in the supply of drugs as well as targeted patrols at transport hubs and work to gather key intelligence to further safeguard those being exploited by this type of criminality.

The activity has seen a large quantity of drugs taken out of communities, with cocaine, crystal meth, ecstasy and cannabis amongst the items seized.

The warrants also resulted in the seizure of several weapons including a firearm, machetes, knives, a crossbow and throwing stars.

Searches also saw the seizure of almost £119,000 in cash suspected of being linked to drug offences.

County Lines sees ruthless dealers expanding their illicit operations through dedicated mobile phone lines which sell highly addictive substances at low prices to keep vulnerable addicts coming back for more

Detective Chief Inspector Stu Liddell, Northumbria Police County Lines lead, has promised our action will not stop with intensification weeks and officers will continue to build on intelligence and ensure the policing response remains effective and robust.

He said: “This has been an incredible effort with teams from across the Force working together to share intelligence and take action to stop a brutal form of drug dealing which has no place here in Northumbria.

“We are working harder than ever with our partners to crack down on County Lines, which brings misery to communities, and ensure it does not take hold in our region.

“What makes County Lines different to other forms of drug dealing is the aggressive tactics to trap and exploit vulnerable users, including children, in a cycle of debt and addiction that they can’t break free from.

“We remain dedicated to bringing those responsible for violence and exploitation to justice and will use all avenues available to us to do so.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “This is exactly what people want to hear about – officers out there fighting crime, arresting the dealers who bring harm to our region and removing the drugs and the devastation they cause.

“Northumbria Police is fully committed to clamping down on County Lines and in particular catching those at the top of the chain. The raids, the covert operations, they’re happening all the time and it’s important people know about the continued efforts to protect our region from drugs.

“It’s crucial that this operational success is supported with long term prevention work too. Our police can’t tackle the problem on their own and my Violence Reduction Unit works closely with some fantastic organisations who support those who are at risk of being exploited and groomed into this kind of criminal activity.

“We can’t – and won’t let – the North East become a go-to place for recruiting and exploiting young people into dealing drugs. Our police are certainly putting up a strong fight against drug dealing in our region, and we are evidently seeing the strong results to match.”

Part of tackling County Lines is educating young and vulnerable people on the dangers and the signs to look out for of exploitation.

Chief Insp Liddell added: “Our work does not stop just because the national intensification period is over.

“Under the banner of Operation Sentinel, our dedicated initiative to tackling serious and organised crime, we will continue to pursue offenders and shut down their lines, as well as work with young people and those who have been impacted by this abhorrent crime.”

Safeguarding groups and charities are a vital tool in the fight against County Lines and members of the public are encouraged to come forward with information to help those vulnerable people, including children, to be safeguarded.

If you see something that doesn’t look right or know of any vulnerable people who may be involved in County Lines, please get in touch and help us protect them.

Alternatively, if you have concerns or information, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800111555 or visit their website.