Police seize 'large haul' of Class A drugs in Gosport during operation against county lines gangs across Hampshire

Hampshire Constabulary, alongside British Transport Police and Ministry of Defence Police, have carried out a series of searches and warrant executions to disrupt four criminal networks over the last seven days.

A total of 150 warrant executions, property visits, and vehicle stops resulted in a huge haul of drugs and cash, alongside dozens of knives.

More than £45,000 worth of suspected Class A drugs – which is yet to be forensically analysed – was located in three large hauls in Gosport, Southampton, and Andover.

The vast majority of arrests were for adult males, alongside two women and eight people under the age of 18, with offenders from London, Dorset and Kent.

Chief Superintendent Nigel Lecointe, Hampshire Constabulary’s led for drug-related harm, said: ‘At the heart of this week of intensification is the aim to bring down county lines networks and safeguarding exploited children and the vulnerable.

‘County Lines and local drug networks cause misery for our communities and it is absolutely right that we continue putting significant effort into identifying and arresting those involved.

‘The collaborative work between Hampshire Constabulary and our partners will only increase and intensify in the coming weeks and months ahead. We will continue to shine a spotlight on and bring to justice those running these toxic drug networks.’

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A total of 39 vulnerable adults and 16 vulnerable children were identified and provided appropriate support by the police.

Officers searched ports and railway stations for exploited ‘drug mules’, stopped 85 vehicles, and executed 12 warrants on addresses believed to be used by gangs.

More than 50 visits were made to addresses believed to be involved in ‘cuckooing’, where drug dealers use violence and threats to take over the home of a vulnerable person.

In addition to the unidentified Class A drug haul, officers seized 47 grams and more than 85 wraps of heroin, 166 grams and more than 88 wraps of crack cocaine, and 580 grams and two wraps of cannabis - as well as 1.26 kilograms of cocaine.

Among a large quantity of suspected stolen goods were 51 mobile phones.

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