Cornwall county lines crackdown leads to seizures and arrests

A crackdown on county lines drug dealing has led to arrests and the seizure of drugs, cash and weapons.

Officers from Cornwall and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) teamed up with Merseyside Police for Operation Medusa.

It involved more than 100 officers and staff from different departments, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Their work was focused on Newquay and Penzance, with warrants executed in Truro and St Austell.

Police said they also stopped a vehicle "with links to drugs supply" on the M5 near Exeter.

Overall, they said there were 31 arrests for a "range" of drug-related offences, theft of a vehicle and possession of weapons.

The force said vehicles, drugs, cash and bladed weapons were seized.

Work also involved a week of action in February in areas where drug dealing was believed to have been taking place.

Police said 53 people were "safeguarded" as a result, with more than £50,000 cash, drugs and other property seized.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "It is absolutely vital that we work with other forces to tackle the drug dealing which does so much damage in our communities."

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