Five arrests in ‘county lines’ drugs clampdown
POLICE have been stepping up their battle against drugs with a ‘county lines’ operation in Macclesfield during which five people were arrested.
Officers from Macclesfield Police and British Transport Police Cheshire were at Macclesfield railway station as part of the crackdown on Wednesday, May 15.
There were also sniffer dogs and five people were arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine and cannabis.
Officers gave the public information on how to spot the signs of county lines drug dealing.
The term is used when
drug gangs from big cities expand their operations to smaller towns, often using violence to drive out local dealers and exploiting children and vulnerable people to sell drugs.
These dealers will use dedicated mobile phone lines, known as ‘deal lines’, to take orders from drug users. Heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine are the most common drugs being supplied and ordered.
In most instances the users or customers will live in a different area to where the dealers and networks are based, so drug runners are needed to transport the drugs and collect payment.
Sometimes the dealers will take over a local property, normally belonging to a vulnerable person, and use it to operate their criminal activity from. This is known as cuckooing.
Macclesfield Police said in a statement on May 16: “We had lots of officers and police dogs at the train station yesterday as part of a county lines operation.
“As well as advising the public on how to spot the signs we also made five arrests for possession of cannabis and cocaine. A successful day.”
In addition officers have also been patrolling Lowe Street, Chapel Street and Old Mill Lane and making stop checks in response to reports of drug activity. You can report drug dealing by calling 101 or the Crimestoppers line anonymously on 0800 555 111.