Weapons, drugs and cash found in major county lines operation
WEAPONS, drugs and cash were discovered as police arrested 13 people during a major county lines operation.
Officers from North Wales Police burst through doors across the region last week as part of a “national intensification week” aimed at disrupting suspected drug peddlers.
Police found weapons including a replica gun and knuckle duster, as well as illegal drugs and cash.
They also identified more than 40 “vulnerable individuals” who they will now aim to protect from being the victims of criminal exploitation.
A police spokesman said: “Officers from North Wales Police worked with other forces from across the region along with the Regional Organised Crime Unit, proactively targeting County Lines drug dealers whilst others engaged with vulnerable victims.
“Over the course of the week the search warrants were executed at addresses in Wrexham, Flintshire, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Anglesey under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
“This resulted in numerous arrests and seizures of illicit drugs, weapons including a replica firearm and knuckle duster, numerous mobile phones and cash which is believed to have been obtained from criminal activity.
“In addition, officers deployed into hotspot areas and targeted individuals involved in County Lines drug dealing and exploitation undertaking stop searches and high visibility disruption tactics.
“We also targeted the road network using our roads policing, the Interceptor Teams and saw police dogs deployed in three local hostels in the search for illegal drugs.
“Working with partner agencies we were able to identify over 40 vulnerable individuals demonstrating that our primary role is to safeguard and protect those that are at risk of being victims of criminal exploitation.”
County lines dealers are known to target children and vulnerable adults before moving them to other parts of the country where they are forced to deal drugs.
Assistant chief constable Sacha Hatchett said: “The week-long operation has been a massive undertaking and I’d like to thank and pay tribute to all those officers involved, including our colleagues from across the region.
“County lines hurt the most vulnerable and bring violence and misery to our streets but I would like to reassure the public that North Wales should not be seen as a soft target by criminal gangs and we will continue to take swift, robust enforcement action.
“Distribution of controlled drugs will not be tolerated and we will continue to take action to disrupt this activity.
“Keeping our communities safe remains our top priority.
“We will persistently target those who bring drugs into our communities from outside North Wales in line with the force policy of directly targeting serious and organised crime.
“However, we can’t tackle this problem alone and key to all our work, and that of our partners, is intelligence.
“I would like to thank the communities for their information and cooperation throughout this operation.
“I cannot emphasise enough the importance of the community sharing their concerns with us.”
Information about drug supply can be passed to police via the web live chat or by phoning
101. Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.