West Yorkshire county lines operation sees 37 people arrested

A week-long police operation aimed at disrupting county lines drugs gangs in West Yorkshire has ended with 37 arrests.

The investigation saw 52 vulnerable people safeguarded, police said, including 38 children.

Officers seized £11,000 of cocaine, 1,200 wraps of crack cocaine, 500 wraps of heroin and 2,400 cannabis plants.

Cash valued at almost £186,000 was also found by officers, along with 100 illegal vapes.

The people were held for a range of offences linked to drugs and modern slavery, with weapons including three knives, two axes, a Taser and a firearm seized.

Between 27 February and 5 March, officers visited 11 addresses where they believed cuckooing - a practice which sees criminals threaten people before using their homes as a base to sell drugs - was taking place.

Det Supt Sarah Jones, West Yorkshire Police's head of serious and organised crime, said: "Officers from across all of our districts have caused significant disruption to the activities of criminal gangs involved in drugs and exploitation, with a number of arrests and seizures.

"We will continue to target those involved in the supply of controlled drugs and are committed to protecting the wider community, especially the vulnerable people that are preyed upon by such criminals."

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