A joint operation has led to dozens of arrests and the closure of seven "graft" phone lines.
Merseyside and Humberside Police have arrested 43 people and charged 16 in part of an operation to crack down on county lines drug dealing. The joint effort also saw seven "graft" phone lines closed.
Teams from both forces, targeted a number of locations including Grimsby and Scunthorpe, and arrested people on suspicion of a variety of offences, including possession with intent to supply, possession of a controlled drug, drug driving and being concerned in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs.
There was also more than £5,000 in illicit cash; Class A drugs including cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine with an estimated street value of more than £10,000; and Class B drugs such as cannabis and spice seized. While 30 mobile devices were also recovered, with seven graft lines closed.
READ MORE: Live court updates as Connor Chapman stands trial for Elle Edwards' murder
16 people, from Humberside, Merseyside, Bradford and London, have since been charged. Project Medusa, funded by the Home Office, is the Merseyside-led initiative to tackle County Lines drug dealing and the criminal exploitation of young people and vulnerable adults.
Since 2019, Merseyside’s Project Medusa officers have closed more than 1,000 county lines; arrested more than 2,200 people for offences including drug supply, firearms and money laundering; and identified 1,186 children and vulnerable adults who have been referred to safeguarding services.
Inspector Darren Wallace from Merseyside Police said: "It’s vital that we work with other forces to tackle the drug dealing which does so much damage in our communities. Criminals running their County Lines operations don’t care about borders, as shown by the arrests made for nominals from Merseyside, Humberside, London and Bradford.
"The joint operation involved many teams including roads policing, intelligence, neighbourhood and plain clothes patrols. It resulted in 43 arrests and the closure of seven known graft lines used by gangs to supply drugs across the country.
"As a force we are committed to working alongside partners and other forces to close these County Lines and protect vulnerable people. We will relentlessly target those crime groups who cowardly exploit vulnerable people in our communities."
Detective Superintendent Rhod Troake said: “The impact on our communities that county lines drugs gangs have is the reason we will work in partnership with other forces and partnering agencies.
“We continue to do everything we can to disrupt these criminal networks, removing them and the drugs they supply and distribute, from our streets.
“I would like to thank those people who contact us with information about drug dealing and drug-related crime in our area. The information they provide helps inform us of the wider picture and enables us to work in joint county lines operations such as this with Merseyside Police.”
Join the Liverpool ECHO's breaking news and top headlines WhatsApp community
READ NEXT: Scared kids watch on as man "covered in blood" runs to barbers
Nurse fought to save Elle Edwards as she lay dying outside pub
