Over £300k worth of drugs, £134k in cash and 33 weapons seized by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary police officers during county lines intensification week

Over £300,000 worth of drugs, £134,600 in cash and 33 weapons, including a crossbow, were seized by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary officers during a county lines intensification week.

The week of action from November 25 to December 1, which was carried out by police forces nationally, sought to “tackle the drug supply and related high harm that brings violence and misery to communities, and exposes young, often at risk, people to criminal exploitation”.

Officers across Hampshire targeted those individuals responsible for supplying drugs in local communities — including those travelling from large cities from further afield such as London and Liverpool — and seized large amounts of drugs, cash, mobile phones and weapons.

Officers arrested 94 individuals in Hampshire who were either deemed to be ‘line holders’ or those who were responsible for supplying drugs on the line holder’s behalf.

In terms of drugs being seized, 2.99kg of cocaine with a street value of £151,450, 355g of crack with a street value of £31,150, 19.5g of heroin with a street value of £2,415 and 11.58kg of cannabis with a street value of £115,840 were all recovered by officers.

Alongside this, as a result of numerous warrants being executed, stop searches being conducted and other intelligence-led activity the constabulary dismantled 14 county lines, seized £134,600 in cash and/or proceeds from criminal activity in relation to drug supply, seized 170 mobile phones and devices, as well as confiscating 33 weapons including bladed weapons, a crossbow, a baton and a baseball bat.

A police spokesperson said: “County lines means to deal drugs using mobile phones, usually from large cities to towns and rural areas in the UK.

“Line holders will use runners, often young and vulnerable children, to deliver the drugs.

“It’s linked to some of the most serious and violent crimes such as human trafficking, modern slavery, and child exploitation.”