More drugs lines smashed as BTP teams up with Lincolnshire Police in joint operation

Criminal gangs moving drugs on the railway were dealt another blow last week when British Transport Police elite County Lines taskforce seized cash drugs and weapons and made multiple arrests.

In a two day operation at stations across Lincolnshire the two forces shared intelligence and resources to clampdown on county lines gangs and the transportation of drugs across the rail network.

The teams deployed a knife arch and passive drugs dogs resulting in more than £8k worth of cocaine, and over £5k of illicit cash being seized along with deadly weapons.

County Lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within England, Scotland and Wales, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of ‘deal line’.

Children, young people and the vulnerable are commonly targeted, exploiting them into trafficking drugs, money, and weapons. These victims then become trapped in a cycle of fear with gangs often using promises of wealth and gifts to draw vulnerable people in, then use violence or threats to control and manipulate them.

BTP’s bespoke child exploitation team works with partners who, collectively, adopt a prevention focused, child centred approach to identifying and immediately safeguarding those at risk.

A total of 13 arrests were made with two victims of cuckooing (where criminals use a vulnerable person’s home as their base of operations) identified and safeguarded.

Three lethal zombie knives were seized along with a machete.

£5590 in cash was seized and a haul of cocaine with a street value of £8900 as well as 75 MDMA tablets.

Detective Inspector Brian Buddo from the taskforce said: “This was yet another successful operation taking drugs and weapons off the streets as we continue to relentlessly target criminal gangs who use the railway network to profit from criminality and cause harm to communities.

“Working in partnership with our colleagues at Lincolnshire police and others means we continually strengthen our efforts to wipe out criminal enterprises who blight our communities.

 “Together we have made another significant dent in county lines criminality making local communities and our railways safer.”