Seized last week: £17,000 in cash. 168 wraps of crack cocaine. 22 phones.

Last week, Surrey Police seized more than £17,000 in cash during County Lines Intensification Week.

The intensification week, which runs nationally, focused on disrupting county lines, and protecting vulnerable people within the community who are at risk of exploitation by drug dealers.

During the week, which ran from Monday, 27 February to Sunday, 5 March, Surrey Police’s officers visited schools, gyms, and sports clubs, to raise awareness of county lines and the signs of exploitation. Officers safeguarded 23 people, carried out 45 cuckooing prevention visits, and spoke to over 700 people at school events and through community engagement.  

Over £17,000 in cash was seized during the week, alongside 168 wraps of cocaine, 22 phones, and six weapons. In total, teams carried out seven warrants over the week, and eight people were arrested for various drug offences.

The week involved both our proactive and neighbourhood teams, alongside a host of teams working behind the scenes, including digital forensics, economic crime, and intel.

Detective Chief Inspector Debbie White said: “Drug dealers and county lines gangs exploit the most vulnerable members of our community for their own gains. We, however, will stop at nothing to disrupt county lines operating within Surrey. Our priority will always be to help keep people safe, and to protect victims of these crimes.

“The information the public provides us with is vital in helping us to stop criminality relating to drug dealing and county lines. Any information you may have, no matter how small, can help us to build the bigger picture and ultimately be the missing piece of the puzzle that means we can disrupt a county line.

“Please contact us with any information that you may have, and our officers, and teams behind the scenes, will use this in their investigations. If you’d rather not speak to police, please reach out to the anonymous and fully independent charity Crimestoppers.”