North Yorkshire Police continue crack down on 'County Lines' drug dealing

Police in North Yorkshire have arrested six people in the past five days as they continue to crack down on so-called 'county lines' drug dealing.
Police in North Yorkshire have arrested six people in the past five days as they continue to crack down on so-called county lines drug dealing.Police in North Yorkshire have arrested six people in the past five days as they continue to crack down on so-called county lines drug dealing.
Police in North Yorkshire have arrested six people in the past five days as they continue to crack down on so-called county lines drug dealing.

Police in York used Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology to locate suspects travelling in and out of the area, while others were found thanks to concerns raised about a disturbance at property in York.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In the first incident on the evening of 10 November 2018, three people were arrested, including two 17-year-olds boys and a 21-year-old man from Liverpool who were found at a property in York following a report of a disturbance at the property. They were taken into custody and the 21-year-old was remanded in custody and charged with possessing class B drugs and obstructing the police. One of the 17-year-olds was issued with a caution and the other released without charge.

In a separate incident on the afternoon of 14 November, ANPR showed a vehicle believed to be linked to county lines drug dealing travelling out of the area. On its return to North Yorkshire officers stopped the car on the A64 near Bilborough.

The two occupants of the car, two men in their thirties, one (37) from York and the (34) other from Liverpool were arrested. The 37-year-old was arrested on suspicion of three burglaries, of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and fraud by false representation. The man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. Both were released but remain under investigation for the offences.

In a third incident in the early hours of 15 November, a 17-year-old boy from Manchester was arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs after ANPR flagged up a vehicle travelling along Tadcaster Road in York and believed to be linked to county lines drug activity. He remains in police custody.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Safeguarding measures were also instigated in relation to some of the people involved.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras work by reading a vehicles registration number and flagging it up to the police if it is connected to criminal activity or vulnerable or missing people.

It helps the police prevent crime, arrest suspects, find missing or vulnerable people and provides evidence to help criminal prosecutions.

County lines drug dealing is a form of organised crime where criminals from urban areas such as Manchester, Liverpool, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands, force children and young people to travel to county towns such as York and Scarborough to do their drug dealing for them. It also involves a practice known as cuckooing where drug dealers use threats of violence to take over the homes of vulnerable people and use it to store and sell drugs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It takes its name from the phone lines used by the criminals to communicate with their “customers” and take orders. Tackling county lines is a foremost priority for North Yorkshire Police and information from members of the public is invaluable in helping us safeguard vulnerable people, disrupt criminal activity and bring the suspects to justice.