Police Crack Down on “County Lines” Drug Operations

Police Tackle “County Lines” Drug Dealers in York

In a classroom in North Yorkshire, trainee police officers learned how to use Naloxone, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses. The training came as drug-related deaths in the UK hit record highs. Instructor explained that many of these deaths are preventable. The increase in drug deaths is partly due to “county lines,” a criminal network where dealers use text messages to sell drugs. Often, a leader sits safely in another city while young, vulnerable people deliver the drugs and face the risks.

Operation Sentry: York Fights Back

David Collins, Northern editor for The Sunday Times, was given special access to North Yorkshire Police’s operation to combat these new drug dealers. This investigation, called Operation Sentry, is based at Fulford Road Police Station in York. The team, led by Mike Brocken, works to disrupt organized crime, especially county lines entering the city. A large spider diagram on the wall shows the complex connections between identified dealers, illustrating how tangled the county lines network is. Police aim to understand these links and identify the person controlling the entire operation.

Beyond Patrols: Targeting the Kingpins

Traditional police work, like patrolling and talking to addicts, only scratches the surface of county lines activity. Arresting low-level dealers is like putting a band-aid on a major wound; another dealer simply takes their place. Operation Titan is the police’s larger plan to fight back. It combines teams working on organized crime, child exploitation, and drug transportation. Instead of just stopping drug sales, they focus on identifying and arresting the leaders of these operations.

The Hunt for the “Line Phone”

A key part of the investigation is finding and analyzing the phones used by dealers. When someone is arrested for any offense, police can seize and examine their phone. They look for coded language in text messages that indicate drug dealing, such as “fat shots” or “white and brown.” By collecting texts from many seized phones, police can piece together how a specific county line operates. They then rank these lines based on risk, considering factors like violence or the involvement of children.

Tracing the Messages: A Difficult Task

Once a line is chosen for targeting, the next challenge is proving who sent the messages. This requires analytical officers to examine phone data, including when and where messages were sent. They need to show that a suspect was responsible for sending drug offers over a period of months, not just that they were found with a drug phone. Police often look at who the suspect contacts most frequently, noting that a male line holder’s downfall is often linked to their girlfriend.

Raid on the “Teddy Line”

The investigation led to a raid in Bradford targeting David Smith, suspected of running the “Teddy Line,” one of the oldest drug lines into York. This line had stayed under the radar by avoiding violence and using people without criminal records as runners. Smith, with prior drug dealing convictions, was believed to be coordinating the operation. Police stormed his home early in the morning, searching for drugs and, crucially, the line phone.

Evidence Found, Arrest Made

During the search, officers found suspected crack cocaine and heroin, with a street value estimated at around £2,000. After a lengthy search, the line phone – a red Nokia – was discovered hidden in a desk compartment. This phone was confirmed to be the model used for the Teddy Line, which had been active as recently as the day before. The investigation also uncovered weapons, including knives and bats, suggesting Smith was protecting himself.

Success and the “Never-Ending Battle”

David Smith was charged and pleaded guilty, receiving a sentence of 4 years and 4 months. This was a significant success for Operation Titan, reducing the number of active county lines in York from 20 to an estimated 4 or 5 at the time of the investigation. However, police acknowledge the ongoing challenge. Dealers can easily replace arrested runners or line holders, and new lines can quickly emerge. The phrase “bails a fail” highlights the issue of suspects reoffending after being released on bail.

“Cuckoo Watching” and Vulnerable People

Officers Kirsty Butler and Richard Fell are part of the serious organized crime disruption team. They engage in “cuckoo watching,” checking on vulnerable individuals whose homes might be taken over by drug runners. These runners, often unfamiliar with the city, seek places to sleep or deal drugs, sometimes forcing their way into the homes of drug users or people with learning difficulties. This tactic, known as cuckooing, allows dealers to operate discreetly.

The Cycle Continues

The police visit a woman named Mary, a drug user who is on an electronic tag. While she provided no direct information about drug lines, she expressed annoyance that the “Bobby Line” had been shut down, as it had been a reliable source of drugs for her, even delivering late at night. This highlights how the demand for drugs fuels the cycle. Even after the Teddy Line holder David Smith was jailed, the line started up again with a new person in charge just weeks later. Police believe that as long as there is demand, criminals will find ways to supply drugs, sometimes even using children to take over operations.

Source: On the Line: The Never-Ending Battle – Investigation | Part 2/5 (YouTube)