Hampshire police hit 15 county lines drug gangs with cash, drugs, and weapons seized alongside 48 arrests in a week

A total of 48 arrests were made in relation to county lines offences over the course of the week, with 12 warrants completed.

Police also seized 49 mobile phones, more than £19,000 in cash, eight knives, five firearms, and large quantities of Class A and B drugs seized.

Officers have been focusing their efforts on county lines, dismantling 15 networks as part of a national week of intensification to tackle the drug supply and related high harm that brings violence to communities and exploits vulnerable young people.

Head of serious organised crime, Det Supt Nick Plummer, said: ‘County lines operators adapt their system in response to relentless pressure from police forces. Our work during county lines week maintains this pressure on drug dealing lines, driving the harm they pedal from our communities, through the closure of drug dealing lines across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and safeguarding victims.

‘We are continuously working to identify new ways to crack down on this abhorrent crime with the ongoing support from our partners in health, housing, the National Crime Agency and other police forces. The results of this week of intensification speak for themselves.’

The week of intense work targeting county lines gangs has seen officers educating young and vulnerable people on the dangers of county lines.

Where any child or vulnerable person is identified as being or at risk of being exploited or trafficked, a national referral mechanism is made through the use of Modern Slavery legislation.

Det Supt Plummer added: ‘Safeguarding groups and charities are a vital tool in the fight against county lines and we encourage members of the public to come forward with information to help those vulnerable people, including children, to be safeguarded.

‘The success of these operations wouldn’t be possible without the intelligence that you, the community provide. Even the smallest pieces of information that is provided can often benefit our investigations. I’d like to thank the public for their assistance in continuing to report crime and intelligence to us either directly or via the independent charity Crimestoppers.’