Crackdown on gangs flooding Dorset with drugs from Merseyside

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Lyne said: ‘This operation has allowed us to strengthen our commitment to be relentlessly to make Dorset a hostile place for criminals and organized crime.

“County boundaries are a particularly nasty crime because they rely on the exploitation of vulnerable people – including vulnerable children. By working in this way with colleagues and partners, we not only tackle the gangs that cause misery in our communities, but we protect the vulnerable people who are at risk of exploitation.

ACC Lyne gives a briefing before the operation

“Working with our colleagues in Merseyside allows us to attack these gangs both where they originate and where they have decided to settle.

“It sends a clear message to the county gangs that Dorset is not a safe place for them to do their business and we will do all we can to disrupt their activities and keep our communities safe.”

During the two-day operation:

• 15 arrests were made
• 8 vehicles were seized
• A warrant was executed which resulted in the seizure of around £ 1,000 in cash, a small amount of suspected Class A drugs and an imitation firearm
• A street search of a suspect resulted in an arrest when seven envelopes of suspected Class A drugs were discovered. Further searches of the suspect’s property revealed more drug paraphernalia, including scales
• Amounts of suspicious drugs, cash and stolen goods were seized
• More than 50 security and well-being checks for vulnerable people have been carried out

Police are executing a warrant in Dorset

“They bring misery to communities”

Detective Superintendent Andy O’Connor, Merseyside Police said: “This was our first deployment from Medusa to Dorset and has proven to be a successful first step in this area and shows our continued commitment to work with partners from other forces to crack down on county borders. drug supply.

“The criminals who exploit the county borders do not respect the borders, the communities to which they bring misery or the vulnerable people whom they exploit in the pursuit of the illegal proceeds of crime. Project Medusa is dedicated to eliminating these county lines and will work with other forces to find those responsible and help those who may be exploited by these organized criminal gangs.

“At the end of the day, everyone should be warned that if you get involved in a crime you risk the consequences.

“But when we identify vulnerable and exploited people during our investigations, we make sure that they are treated with sensitivity and understanding, and that they receive the appropriate support. Our main target is those who seek to use them for their own selfish gain. ”

“One of my priorities”

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick, Joint Head of Association of Police And Crime Commissioners for Alcohol and Substance Abuse, said: damage – and that of course includes drugs, in particular the county gangs that bring heroin, crack and other substances from the big cities to our small towns and villages.

“It’s a horrible business that only serves misery – to those who become drug addicts themselves, to those young people forced to work as mules and traffickers by older criminals higher up the ladder, and to vulnerable people who are “cuckoo”. ‘and have their homes taken care of.

‘I am committed to making Dorset the safest county so I am delighted to see Dorset and Merseyside Police work together to tackle Dorset county boundaries – criminals should have no doubt that law enforcement across the country is working together to hunt you down. of our communities, to take back your ill-gotten gains and deprive you of your freedom.

What are county lines?

County lines refer to gangs selling drugs using dedicated phone lines.

Not all county gangs operate beyond county borders; some operate between towns and villages within a county border and some even operate through towns.

These gangs tend to exploit vulnerable people – including children – which makes them so dangerous.

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