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POLICE officer involved in seizing more than £1m of drugs and arresting 100 suspected dealers have been praised for their work.
It comes as in just two weeks police carried out dozens of raids across the county in which they seized 82 mobile phones, and almost £53,000 in cash, alongside weapons and a firearm during raids in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.
MP for Southampton Itchen Royston Smith said that the new was “excellent” and paid tribute to “our fantastic police officers”.
He said: “The more we can disrupt this heinous business the better.
“I remind all those who use illegal substances. Your drugs don’t arrive from Amazon. You are part of the problem.”
Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, said he was “really pleased” to see this result.
“[I] want to say a big thank you for all the hard work that has gone into it,” he said.
“County lines activity is hugely detrimental, particularly as these networks often run by using vulnerable young people.
“Any disruption to these networks is a step in the right direction in taking drugs off the street and protecting these young people from exploitation.”
As previously reported, the intensification activity saw 17 drug networks disrupted, with police targeting individuals who ran either local or county lines, supplying crack cocaine and heroin.
Warrants took place in London and towns and cities across Hampshire including Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton, the New Forest, Eastleigh and Isle of Wight during the last two weeks.
A total of 88 men and 12 women were arrested with; 13 of these were aged under 18.
Most offences were for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, with a few under modern day slavery legislation.
Overall 100 people were arrested; 24 vulnerable people identified; nine vulnerable juveniles engaged; £52,703.50 seized; 81.5 grams of crack cocaine and 91 wraps seized; 62g of heroin and 92 wraps seized; and machetes, knives, CS gas, air rifle, BB gun recovered.
Neighbourhood officers visited cuckooed addresses across the Force region with 42 vulnerable people being identified and six safeguarded.
Over the past 18 months, Hampshire Constabulary has developed a deeper understanding of the drivers of county lines and how those running lines operate. It is now tackling it under the name Op Monument, alongside the Metropolitan Police’s Op Orochi.
The operation involved joint work with British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Royal Mail.
