Handguns seized in Gosport after raids targeting county lines dealers
HANDGUNS have been seized by police in county line drug raids on homes in Gosport.
Officers carried out several raids across the borough last week – including at housing association tower blocks Blake Court and Burney House, both in South Street.
Today Hampshire police has released video footage of one of the raids, showing police taking down a door at a flat in Blake Court.
Police also revealed two handguns and other weapons were seized across the National County Lines Intensification Week.
The week targeted drug dealers from bigger cities who set up lucrative lines in smaller towns dealing to local addicts, recruiting children to run the drugs.
Four people were arrested linked to the raids that took place in Gosport – two in the town and two in Liverpool.
Two men, 36 and 45, were held in Gosport while Merseyside police arrested a 24-year-old woman and 34-year-old man on suspicion of class A drug supply.
The four have been released while police continue to investigate.
Gosport Inspector Matt Wake said: ‘Last week in Gosport we carried out a number of proactive warrants to tackle Class A drugs supply in the borough.
‘County Lines drugs supply causes misery to communities and is often linked to the exploitation of children.
‘Teams targeted addresses in Burney House, Blake Court and a number of others in the borough where we seized drugs and weapons.
‘We want you to tell us about drug dealing in Gosport.
‘We also want you to understand that it takes time for our officers to piece together the intelligence picture from the information that you provide us, in order that we can execute these types of operations from the information you have given.
‘So please contact police with any information you have, and help us to tackle the problem and safeguard vulnerable people who live in the area and are being exploited.’