County Lines day of action sees arrests and thousands of pounds of drugs seized

Our teams across the West Midlands have seized thousands of pounds of drugs and cash during a day of intense action against County Lines drug dealing.

Across our force area our County Lines Taskforce, supported by neighbourhood teams, have made significant arrests and seized thousands of pounds of drugs and cash during Op Advance.

In Birmingham and Sandwell, five warrants were carried out against suspected human trafficking.

Four people were arrested and a quantity of cash and class A drugs were seized while our enquiries continue.

Two men from Birmingham have since been charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis and appeared before magistrates on 20 March.

In Coventry, a series of warrants targeting County Lines criminal activity were carried out.

These resulted in eight people being arrested and more than £650,000 worth of drugs and cash seized including cannabis and Class As.

All eight have since been charged with offences including cannabis production, weapon possession and dangerous driving.

More warrants were carried out by the Sandwell LPA, who visited a residential property and a business in connection with suspected modern day slavery.

Two people were arrested on suspicion of facilitating modern day slavery, one for immigration offences and another on recall to prison.

Wolverhampton's activity included a pair of warrants in Low Hill to carry out searches on a vehicle, while over in Walsall, a man was arrested during a pre-planned warrant.

A quantity of cash and suspected class A and B drugs were seized.

In Solihull, the teams carried out a multi-agency safer travel operation, along with visits to addresses believed to be linked to County Lines activity and exploitation.

More inputs were delivered to young people in the town around County Lines, which sees young and vulnerable people exploited and used by criminals.

In Dudley, there were more school and college visits, as well as weapons sweeps working with college security.

The day of action, on 19 March, was part of our continued efforts against County Lines drug dealing.

County Lines sees organised criminal groups use dedicated phone numbers to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

Find out more about County Lines, and how to spot the signs that a loved one is being drawn in.