Focus turns to potential County Lines victims. says Newark and Sherwood’s police chief, Inspector Heather Sutton
Support will be offered to vulnerable people who could be the next victims of a County Lines drugs ring operating in Newark.
Newark and Sherwood’s police chief, Inspector Heather Sutton, said it was a priority to address potential victims after a series of daybreak raids were carried in Newark and Balderton.
Three warrants were issued for drugs offences in Victoria Street, Bakewell House, and Queens Court in the raids, which were part of a national intensification week.
A quantity of suspected class A drugs was recovered from two properties.
A Nottingham man was charged with possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Speaking after the latest raids, which form part of Operation Vow, Inspector Sutton said: “The charges were very significant because it removed that supply from the area.
“While no one was arrested (from two simultaneous raids on Wednesday) we were able to recover class A drugs from one of the addresses and a drugs investigation will ensue from that.”
Inspector Sutton said the next step would be educational visits to potential victims of County Lines gangs, known for exploiting vulnerable people to pedal heroin and crack cocaine to limit their own risk.
Officers carried out the visits on Thursday and Friday last week.
“It is ultimately about reducing the demand and supply,” said Inspector Sutton.
“The programme was used to identify the next round of victims, because we knew the profile County Lines offenders look at.
“It is a very slow process, but it is something we are picking away at.
“It is for people who are isolated from support networks.
“We will look to support them with daily living, mental and physical health issues and, importantly, educate them on what County Lines is, to remove those vulnerabilities.”
The success of Operation Vow is evident, with the latest figures proving crime rates to be lower.
Inspector Sutton said the success of Operation Vow was a result of the police’s plan of intelligence gathering, enforcement and safeguarding.
“We know every time we take somebody off the street there is an opportunity for somebody else to move in there, so we have to keep moving and the idea is to try and slowly reduce the demand, which will then reduce the supply,” she said.
"A lot of market town's have the import of drug supply, where as other areas in Nottinghamshire only see export, which sees vulnerable children sent to other areas to drug deal, while we are having people sent to us to drug deal.
"It is common for market towns around England and sometimes it is down to good networks."
Inspector Sutton explained that just like legitimate businesses benefit from good road and rail networks, illegal businesses also take advantage, with Newark proving strong links the country's biggest cities.
Violence was also highlighted as a factor that draws County Lines drug rings to the area.
"Drug dealers perceive Newark as a safe place to come and deal," she said.
"Violence isn't the same in Newark and Sherwood as it is in bigger cities, with the district's knife crime figures proving much better.
"There is low risk being subjected to violence here, where as in some of the larger areas there is the risk of being involved in drug turf war.
"It is all about exploiting vulnerable people.
"In a lot of other areas you see vulnerable children and I am not naive to say that isn't happening in Newark, but what we have seen here is vulnerable adults."