Teen girls among the arrests in drugs raids
COUNTY LINES CRACKDOWN AS POLICE TRY TO BREAK NETWORK
TWO girls aged 15 and 16 were among seven people arrested in drugs busts.
Police carried out the raids at addresses in Loughborough and Mountsorrel over the past seven days.
They were targeting County Lines drug operations, where big city suppliers set up small local dealers in towns and villages to sell class A drugs.
Often young and vulnerable people are exploited and end up being the ones taking the risks to make money for the heads of the operations.
Police are cracking down on the activity throughout the Charnwood area with Operation Hammerman.
The seven people arrested between Saturday, June 13, and last Friday were five men – aged 20, 21, 25, 26 and 42 – and the two teenage girls.
The 20-year-old was arrested for possession with intent to supply of class B drugs, while the other six were all arrested for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
The 21-year-old has been kept in custody for an unrelated upcoming court appearance, while the others have been released under investigation.
Police said the arrests came after officers spent a “significant amount of time” gathering information and evidence on people suspected of moving drugs in and out of Leicestershire.
With the support of Charnwood Borough Council and other agencies, officers also carried out safeguarding checks on vulnerable adults in the community believed to be at risk of “cuckooing”.
Cuckooing is when a drug dealer or gang use violence or the threat of violence to take over the home of a vulnerable person, then use the property as a base for illegal activity.
Officers carrying out the operation are keen for people across Leicestershire and Rutland to continue to report any County Lines activity they suspect is happening in their area.
Sergeant Chris Boylin said: “The community is a big part of where we get our information from so we urge people to continue to tell us when they are seeing things that are out of the ordinary.
“The selling and distribution of drugs on our streets ruins lives and we will continue to take action against those who are responsible and prey on vulnerable members of our community.” ■ Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, or report information on the police website.
For more information on County Lines and how to spot signs of it, visit: