27 arrests as police tackle drug dealing

North Yorkshire Police arrested 27 people and made 60 welfare visits to vulnerable people during a national week of action to tackle “county lines” drug dealing.

Two bladed weapons were recovered as well as more than £5,000 in cash and £10,000 in what is suspected drugs, with arrests made in Scarborough, Whitby, Filey, Harrogate, Ripon, York and Selby. In total, six people were arrested on the Yorkshire Coast.

Police conducted the execution of a warrant at a property in Scarborough. A large bag of what is believed to be cocaine was thrown from a window when officers forced entry. This has a street value of approximately £2,000.

During the search officers recovered deal bags, cash, two mobile phones and further wrap of white powder. The wrap has been field tested and confirmed to be cocaine.

A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a class-A drug. He was charged with being concerned in offer to supply cocaine and possession with intent to supply cocaine. He was recalled to prison due to previous offending.

In total 11 warrants were executed on the coast at addresses linked with drugs and county lines.

County lines is the name given to a form of organised crime in which drug dealers from larger cities exploit vulnerable people – including children – and force them to deal drugs in smaller towns and cities, taking its name from the mobile phone lines used by dealers to communicate between towns and advertise their drugs for sale.

The high intensity week of action was between October 3 and 9.