County lines task force hailed by police chief

DRUGS NETWORKS DISRUPTED AS DOZENS OF DEALERS ARE JAILED

- NICK HORNER News Reporter

ALMOST 50 criminals in organised crime groups have been jailed for a total of 260 years thanks to the efforts of a specialist police unit.

West Midlands Police's County Lines Taskforce aims to disrupt gangs that deal in the supply of Class A drugs across the region.

County lines is commonly referred to as drug dealing where organised crime groups move and supply drugs between towns or across different counties.

Dealers typically use phone lines to send out mass messages to potential customers showing the availability of drugs and prices.

In some cases, they use vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, to help distribute the drugs.