Action from Thames Valley Police has led to 81 arrests and £42,047 in cash being seized in connection with county lines drug dealing.

County lines drug dealing is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups use phone lines to move and supply drugs, usually from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

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The week-long activity saw officers take 626 wraps of cocaine, heroin, and cannabis whilst executing 17 warrants and 129 searches .

Officers also seized over £42,000 worth of cash and 85 phones linked to county line drug dealing.

The police worked closely with partners, from local authorities, homeless charities and carried out visits in schools to inform young people about organised criminal groups.

Detective Chief Superintendent Richard List, said: “I see the fact that we have safeguarded a number of adults and children from being exploited through violence, fear, and intimidation by drug dealers this week as a real success.

“We will continue to act every single day to stop those who seek to damage our communities through this extremely harmful criminal activity.

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“It is important for us all to be familiar with the signs that someone might be the victim of drugs exploitation as only with the public’s help can we stop this.”

There was also intervention at 136 addresses where known “cuckooing” has taken place.

Cuckooing is where organised criminal groups target the address of a vulnerable adult, taking over the property that the adult is living in and forcing them to sell drugs out of their home.