Essex Police: Thirteen county lines disrupted after raids

A total of 13 county lines have been disrupted after a week of action by a police force to stop illegal drugs trade.

Essex Police said 55 arrests were made, 6kg (13llbs) of drugs were taken off the counties streets and £118,000 was seized.

Thirty nine people were charged, 13 released under investigation and 10 people were referred for safeguarding.

The County Lines Intensification Week took place from 11 to 17 October.

The arrests were made in Southend, Westcliff, Leigh, Basildon, Grays, Harlow, Chelmsford, Colchester, Clacton, Aveley, London and Bedford.

Three people were released without charge.

Acting Det Sup Lewis Basford, said: "Although our work did intensify during County Lines Intensification Week, the role our Op Raptor teams perform is very a much a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week one.

"The work they put into finding county lines, investigating them, establishing who is behind them and then building cases against those people should not be underestimated."

Officers said crack cocaine, heroin, cocaine, cannabis and 17 MDMA pills were found.

Eighty four phone lines, including nine county line phones were seized along with £2,500 in designer clothing, bags and hats.

A number of weapons were also discovered including, two knuckle dusters, two samurai swords, a number of knives and a machete.

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