Watch the moment police smash down door in 'County Lines drug raid'

17 January 2020, 16:04

This is the moment police smashed down the door of a home suspected to be linked to a County Lines drug network before seizing stashes of crack cocaine and cannabis.

Six men aged between 25 and 40 were arrested after officers burst into the house in Coventry on Thursday.

They broke down the door of the property in Broad Street, Foleshill, around 5.15pm and found 2kg of cannabis, 40 wraps of “white powder” and around £5,000 in cash.

Entry was also forced to a house near Gosford Green, where up to 70 wraps of what’s believed to be crack cocaine was seized.

A man aged 48 and a 45-year-old woman were arrested.

Three flats were searched in Holbrook Lane where more drugs were found, while warrants were also executed at properties in Edgwick Road and Morey Street.

All eight people were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to supply and remain in police custody today.

Police intelligence suggests the addresses are linked to a County Lines network supplying drugs into Warwickshire and Leicestershire from Coventry.

Coventry Police Inspector Steve Malone ran yesterday’s operation. He said: “We suspect children are being used to carry out street-level dealing on behalf of the County Line so we will also be looking at whether there are any child exploitation offences.

“In addition to the drugs we’ve also seized several mobile phones which we suspect are being used as the dealer hotlines. They will be sent off for analysis.

“County Lines is a despicable crime with offenders often recruiting vulnerable people, including children, to deal drugs on their behalf. People behind these lines make the money while vulnerable people are groomed to do the dirty work and take all the risks.

“If anyone suspects a property is being used to deal drugs then I’d urge them to get in touch so we can take more action.”