Drugs worth £3m seized with £60,000 in cash in huge county lines crackdown in South Yorkshire

Police officers also made 18 arrests and ‘safeguarded’ 11 other people as part of a national week of action.

So called ‘county lines’ gangs are involved in the exploitation of young people recruited to expand their criminal networks into new areas.

Those groomed by the gangs and who become embroiled in criminality are often used to divert attention away from those at the top of the chains.

In South Yorkshire, 3,000 cannabis plants, worth around £3 million, were seized.

Officers also recovered £60,000 in cash from people with suspected links to drug dealing and organised crime.

Detective Inspector Aneela Khalil-Khan, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “The production and supply of drugs is irrevocably linked to violent crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people. This needs to be stopped.

“Members of organised crime groups systematically move children and vulnerable adults between counties in order to supply drugs and widen their network. This is what county lines is. Gangs also ‘cuckoo’ vulnerable adults, which sees them take over their homes to distribute drugs over a period of days, weeks, or even months.

“It’s vital we all work together to disrupt criminals and protect those most at risk. It’s something we prioritise constantly, but these weeks of action enable us to pool resources and work together to take action and gain a better understanding of what is happening in our force area.

“While our tasking teams target suspect addresses, PCSOs and neighbourhood officers go and speak to those most at risk of being targeted and mistreated and if needed, put safeguarding measures in place.”

DI Khalil-Khan added: “Tackling this type of criminality and protecting vulnerable people cannot be done by us alone, and we are working hard alongside key partner agencies, local schools and charities to raise awareness and protect those who are most at risk.

“Victims are often mistakenly viewed as having chosen to engage in criminal behaviour. What we need to understand is why they are engaging in this and how they became involved.

“Simultaneously, we also need to focus on enforcement activity, disrupting criminal networks and taking drugs off the streets.”

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