Five Arrested in Major County Lines Drug Bust by Met and Hampshire Police
In a daring dawn raid on Tuesday, 12 May, Met’s Specialist Crime Command teamed up with Hampshire Constabulary to smash a county lines drug network. Five suspects are now in custody, facing conspiracy to supply Class A drugs charges.
Three Homes Raided, Luxury Motors Seized
Police executed three simultaneous search warrants at homes in:
- Rigby Close, Croydon
- Derwent Road, SE20
- Scarbrook Road, Croydon
They also targeted a commercial property on Beluah Road, CR7. At the Rigby Close address, officers had to use specialist entry gear to break through metal-barred doors.
During the raids, officers seized three vehicles – two Mercedes and a flashy green Lamborghini – believed linked to the drug operation.
Swift Action to Tackle Drug Links Between London and Hampshire
The arrests stem from an ongoing Met and Hampshire investigation into a county line trafficking drugs between London and Hampshire. All five suspects have been taken to a Hampshire police station where they’re held pending further enquiries.
“Investigating and disrupting county lines activity remains a priority for the Met,” said Acting Detective Chief Inspector Ant Jones. “There is an inextricable link between the supply of drugs and violence. Officers are continuing intelligence-led operations, even amid the public health crisis, to dismantle organised criminality and put offenders behind bars.”
Protecting the Vulnerable and Fighting Back Amid Covid-19
Chief Inspector Mark Lynch of Hampshire Constabulary added: “County lines drug dealing poses a grave risk to vulnerable children and adults in Hampshire, despite Covid-19 restrictions. Tackling organised crime remains our core focus, and we will prosecute offenders and seize their criminal profits.”
“Vulnerable youths are often lured with false promises and coerced into drug running, only to be treated as disposable by criminals. The pandemic only adds further health risks to these young people and their communities.”
“Working with local partnerships, we aim to support those in need and prevent future children from being drawn into this brutal criminal world.”
