County lines: Police raids lead to 95 arrests

Police arrested 95 people and seized £40,000 in cash during a week of county lines raids in the South West.

Large quantities of drugs and cash were seized during the latest iteration of Operation Scorpion - a regional crackdown on drug dealing and associated crime.

During the raids, which took place between 25 November and 1 December, some 95 people were arrested and 107 people were taken into safeguarding locations, including 32 children.

The week of activity had a particular focus on child criminal exploitation where criminals groom and exploit young people into carrying out crimes on their behalf.

Wiltshire's police and crime commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: "Our message is clear - Wiltshire and the South West is no place for drugs."

He added: "I want to urge parents to not shy away from having the difficult conversations with their child if they're concerned.

"Parents must have open conversations with their children around county lines, knife crime and associated criminality, and know what signs to look out for."

In total across the region, 95 people were arrested and £47,863 cash, 37kg (81.5lbs) of cannabis, 564 cannabis plants and 3.7kg (8.1lb) of cocaine was seized.

The overall operation involved police forces from Dorset, Devon & Cornwall, Avon & Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Over the week, officers worked with partners to give talks in schools as well as conducting cuckooing checks for vulnerable adults and children.

Officers were also granted search warrants across the county, which resulted in tens of thousands of pounds of cash being seized and Class A and B drugs being taken off the streets.

Speaking on behalf of the five regional police forces, Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Catherine Roper said: "The results from the latest week's regional activity of arrests and drugs seizures show that we continue to be effective in disrupting the illegal drugs trade.

"We must also remember the ongoing work by police and our partners to protect and support vulnerable people - often children and young adults - who are coerced to join these criminal networks.

"Bribed with gifts and money, once recruited these victims are usually threatened with or are victim to violence, forcing them to remain in these criminal gangs."

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