Public key in tackling County Lines dealers, say police
A leading West Mercia police officer has called on the public to help root out 'County Lines' drug dealers.
West Mercia Police have lifted the lid on their efforts to deal with gangs bringing drugs into the towns across Shropshire.
County Lines, where drug dealers from larger cities set up operations in rural areas, is the main route for drugs making their way onto Shropshire's streets.
The term County Lines refers to mobile telephone numbers used to order drugs.
As the force continues to try to stamp out dealers moving into the county, Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wall, from West Mercia Police’s crime and vulnerability department, has revealed the extent of action taken over the past year.
Fresh figures show that in operations throughout the last 12 months the force has seized £242,000 of drugs, £90,000 in cash, 110 weapons, safeguarded 78 people, and made 172 arrests, across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.
The figures include £55,000 of heroin taken off the streets, along with £53,000 of crack cocaine, £25,000 of cocaine, and £109,000 of cannabis.
DCI Wall said the most successful tool in reducing the impact of drug dealing was the education of the public – young and old – so they can spot the signs and report them for police to take action.
One of the most frequent models for County Lines dealers is to 'cuckoo' a property. The method involves dealers starting with someone who may be using drugs and buying off them, and results in them effectively tacking over the home, giving them a foothold in a town to use as their base.
DCI Wall said: "If a criminal gang is coming from Merseyside, or some other urban area, to Oswestry for example, they probably have very few links so they need a base to set up out of and that is what they typically do – take over a premises from a vulnerable person.
"The community will often give us information around where these properties are being 'cuckooed', or the other term for it is home invasion.
"They will tell us there a lots of people turning up for a short amount of time, lots of vehicles, lots of people they have not seen before – they are all the signs for people to look for."
He added: "We are trying to make it a really intimidating place for criminal gangs to come to, but also spotting the signs of county lines offending and helping get vulnerable people away from it."
DCI Wall said the force was pleased with its efforts, but appealed for people to report signs of drug dealing – and offered help to those who are trapped and addicted to drugs.
He said: "We are really pleased with the efforts over the last 12 months but we treat it as a priority and will continue to be really active in preventing gangs becoming active in our areas.
"Also we would ask the public to help us where they see the signs of it, tell us so we can respond."
He added: "To the people being exploited, I would say we can help them, we have got lots of links with partner agencies and can provide them the support they need to escape from criminal gangs and deal with their substance abuse issues.
"And to those who are exploiting people they should know we will be relentless in pursuing them, arresting them, and prosecuting them."
Anyone with suspicions that a property is being used to sell drugs, or that a young or vulnerable individual may be getting involved with county lines drug dealing can report this online under the Tell Us About section at westmercia.police.uk or information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org
More information for children and young people about county lines can be found by visiting Fearless at fearless.org
Any groups or agencies interested in receiving free exploitation and vulnerability training can e-mail trainerswdbc@westmercia.police.uk
