£100,000 in cash seized from home by police as 14 arrested in county lines crackdown

North Yorkshire Police officers arrested 14 suspects and made safeguarding visits to 70 vulnerable people during a week of action targeting county lines drug dealing.

The activity was part of a national “week of intensification” led by the National Crime Agency that saw police forces across the country working to disrupt drug dealers and safeguard vulnerable people who are exploited by organised crime gangs.

The week ran from February 27 to March 5, 2023.

The Operation Expedite team is our dedicated county lines team - they were out on the streets proactively stopping people and vehicles that are linked to the supply of drugs.

The Operational Support Unit also assisted with proactive patrols and the execution of warrants across the county.

Officers in Harrogate were supported by West Yorkshire Police in the execution of four warrants in Kirk Deighton and Leeds that are linked to county lines coming into the Harrogate area.

At one home in Leeds officers recovered approximately £100,000 in cash.

As a result of the searches, three arrests were made: a 19-year-old man was arrested for possessing with intent to supply Class A, B and C drugs.

A 26 -year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug and a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled Class B drug and handling criminal property.

All three were released under investigation, police said.

A 32-year-old attended a voluntarily interview and was issued a cannabis warning.

During the week of action officers focused on protecting vulnerable people who are the victim of cuckooing.

The term “cuckooing” refers to the practice of drug dealers taking over the home of a vulnerable person and using it at a base to sell and store drugs. They often use violence and intimidation to achieve this. Victims of cuckooing are often drug users themselves, or people who are vulnerable due to a mental or physical disability, their age or lifestyle, such as sex workers and single mothers.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Simpson who coordinated the week of activity in North Yorkshire, said: “County lines drug dealing is a major priority for North Yorkshire Police, so much so that we have teams who are focused full-time on disrupting drug dealing activity.