Devon & Cornwall Police recently worked alongside British Transport Police (BTP) in a bid to target individuals using rail networks to transport drugs.
Devon & Cornwall Police recently worked alongside British Transport Police (BTP) in a bid to target individuals using rail networks to transport drugs.
The operation took place in Torquay and involved a mixture of high visibility and plain clothes police officers deployed to the train station. Officers were joined by passive drugs dog ‘Polly’, who was placed at key entrances and exits of the station to sniff out people carrying drugs.
“This proactive work forms part of our ongoing efforts to pursue individuals involved in the movement of drugs and to deter criminals from bringing drugs into our towns,” said Chief Inspector Miranda Pusey.
During the operation, officers conducted a number of stop searches following positive indications from Polly. This resulted in the seizure of Class A and B drugs, including six grams of MDMA (Ecstasy), five grams of cannabis, one gram of ketamine. Drugs paraphernalia was also seized. Investigations are currently ongoing.
“It’s positive that the team were able to remove illegal drugs from the streets. Deployments are usually time limited, as we know that word about our activity can get around very quickly, but what we were able to achieve on this day was a success,” added Ch/Insp Pusey.
“These types of operations alongside BTP will continue across the year in South Devon. We will continue to send a strong message that our towns will be a difficult place for criminals to operate and deal drugs in.
“I’d also like to encourage the public to report crime to us. If you see something that doesn’t look right, please report it to us. If we don’t know what you’re seeing, we can’t do anything about it. Together, we can make our communities safer for all.”
Det Inspector Ian Henderson, who works for BTP, said: “Our expert taskforce works with police forces across the country to dismantle and disrupt county lines activity.
“By pooling our crime fighting resources we increase the chances of intercepting those who use the railway to transport drugs, arrest those involved and safeguard the vulnerable who are exploited by county lines gangs.
“Working together we continue to make substantial progress in halting the activity of these criminal gangs before the drugs they transport have a chance to enter communities and destroy more lives.”
County lines is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas. One of ways drugs can be transported in and out of cities is via railways.
Criminals exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs. This is often referred to as ‘drug running’. Criminals may also use a vulnerable person’s home as their base of operations. This is known as ‘cuckooing’.
For more information about county lines, cuckooing and the signs to look out for, visit the Devon & Cornwall Police website: County lines | Devon & Cornwall Police
To file a report or submit information, call 101 or visit: Report a crime | Devon & Cornwall Police
British Transport Police (BTP) is responsible for policing the railways in the UK. To find out more about their role and how they keep our railways safe, visit: About us | British Transport Police
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