Essex drugs arrests after county lines crackdown

Officers knocked down doors across Essex

Twenty people have been arrested and more than £50,000 in cash, along with drugs and weapons, has been seized in a crackdown on county lines drug dealing.

Essex Police executed warrants at eight properties and businesses across Braintree and Colchester on Tuesday.

Officers said suspected Class A drugs and weapons including a knuckleduster and a combat knife were found.

All those arrested remain in custody on suspicion of a number of offences, police said.

These include being concerned in the supply of drugs, possession with intent to supply drugs, immigration offences and conspiracy to supply drugs.

County line drugs gangs - linked by a network of mobile phone lines and often coercing children and vulnerable adults - travel out of their usual urban territory and into smaller towns and rural areas to sell drugs.

About £50,000 was found at one property

At one property in Mary Ruck Way, Braintree, about £50,000 in cash was found, along with a haul of drugs.

The joint operation with Kent Police is part of a crackdown on knife crime.

Weapons were seized including a combat knife

Det Supt Stuart Hopper, of Essex Police, said: "Every knife carried and used and every wrap of drugs sold is potentially a life or lives torn apart.

"Working alongside our Kent colleagues we will share our intelligence to deny the criminals use of our roads, bash down their doors, arrest people involved in the most harmful types of criminality and safeguard the vulnerable."

Police seized what they believe to be Class A drugs