Criminal gangs busted in region-wide swoops

ARRESTS MADE AS POLICE SEIZE MACHETE, DRUGS AND £20,000 IN CASH

- NICK HORNER

HUNDREDS of police officers have carried out dawn raids across the region in a county lines drug dealing crackdown.

Officers recovered a machete, more than £20,000 in cash, and 'burner' phones as they made arrests.

The swoop was part of West Midlands Police's Operation Advance, "designed to bring the full strength of our force to bear in a day of intense activity".

Organised crime gangs use dedicated phone numbers to run county lines drug dealing operations and move and supply drugs, usually from cities to smaller towns or rural areas.

They exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs. This is often referred to as 'drug running'.