Other results include:
- 904 cuckooed addresses visited
- 1,138 vulnerable people were engaged for safeguarding
purposes
- 292 weapons seized including 33 firearms and 219 knives
- 80 drug lines were identified from seized mobile phones
The intensification week took place between Monday 17 May and
Sunday 23 May and included the execution of warrants, joint
operations between forces and intercepting vehicles potentially
involved in county lines activity.
County lines is a drugs distribution model using mobile phones
where drugs are exported from major cities and imported into
other areas, often using vulnerable adults and children.
The National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) was
launched in August 2018, which is a partnership between the
police and the National Crime Agency (NCA). The challenge faced
by law enforcement was tackling a drugs model that worked
across different forces. Policing activity at both ends of the
line now sees importing and exporting forces working together
to identify and arrest those controlling the lines.
Through better coordinated activity and an increased
understanding, the number of potential county lines has reduced
since 2018.
The NCA have also been working with police and international
law enforcement to prevent illegal drugs coming into the
country. In 2020 the Agency and international partners seized
and prevented more than 100 tonnes of Class A drugs entering
the UK.
The latest strategic assessment from the NCLCC has been
published which highlights key points including:
- Police forces working together cross border on joint
operations and coordinating activity to target both ends of the
line.
- Latest figures suggest there are 600 potential county lines
which is a reduction due to more accurate recording methods and
improved police activity.
- An increased focus on the line holder who coordinate the
runners and often use violence to control them.
- Making use of modern slavery legislation to target the line
holder and shifting the focus away from criminalising the
runners who may be exploited.
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for county lines, Deputy
Assistant Commissioner Graham McNulty, said: “The police
response to county lines has increased substantially over the
past 18 months, we have been relentless in pursuing those
behind the line whilst doing everything possible to rescue
those being exploited.
“Intensification weeks like this allow us to dedicate a burst
of activity and resources nationally, highlighting to the
public our absolute determination to rid communities of this
abhorrent crime.
“We will use all the powers available to us to tackle every
element of the county line network because we know the effect
violence and crimes associated with county lines can have in
our communities.
“It is vital that everyone looks out for the signs of
exploitation. This may be a child with unexplained cash, a
new expensive phone or clothing, suddenly going missing, in
possession of rail tickets or taxi receipts, a change in
behaviour and new people suddenly appearing at a house or
flat. If you are concerned then please contact your local
police force or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555
111.”
The National Crime Agency works with partners at the border and
abroad to choke the supply of illegal drugs into the UK. Their
recent successes around the intensification week include:
- launching an investigation after a Polish driver was
stopped at Coquelles with 17kg of heroin in his lorry.
- seizing 500kg of cocaine in a shipping container at London
Gateway and preventing it reaching UK streets.
- sentencing of a Dutch national lorry driver to 20 years for
smuggling £20m worth of cocaine into the UK.
- the charging of an HGV driver accused of smuggling £8.5m of
cocaine (107kg) into the UK on a ferry from Holland.
NCA Director of Investigations Nikki Holland said: “The
intensification week and assessment come after a very busy
year for the NCA in stopping Class A drugs coming to the UK.
“We are proud to work with UK policing to fight the scourge
of drugs which can devastate communities.
“It is a high priority for the NCA to build on the successes
we have had in source countries and along the drugs supply
routes, so that organised crime groups land fewer drugs in
our towns and cities and prevent them being pushed further
afield through county lines groups.”
