POLICE have made arrests and seized weapons, drugs and cash in a crackdown across North Yorkshire.

Thirteen arrests were made by North Yorkshire Police who carried out raids on addresses in a week-long operation, co-ordinated via a national County Lines centre, between March 4 and March 10.

County Lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks which export illegal drugs into other areas across the UK, using dedicated mobile phone ‘deal lines’.

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The force said vulnerable people – including children – are forced to deal drugs and local properties are often acquired by force and used as a base for activities, which is known as ‘cuckooing’.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We have seized £700 in cash, class-a and class-b drugs as well as several dangerous weapons which include a machete, crossbow and a throwing knife.”

In addition, police officers carried out safeguarding and welfare checks at hotels and B&Bs where known, vulnerable persons are living, the spokesperson said.

The force said community engagement across the county included:

Craven – local Neighbourhood Policing teams held a pop-up event at Morrisons in Skipton to highlight the signs of County Lines drug dealing and cuckooing.

Harrogate – officers presented an assembly at Harrogate High School to educate children about the dangers of drug use and County Lines.

Scarborough – Targeted patrols were conducted at Scarborough railway station to intercept drugs which are run via the transport network.

Ryedale – officers went to Thornton-le-Dale primary school to engage with children about cuckooing and the dangers of drug use.

And earlier this week (March 12), the force and City of York Council launched a strategy to tackle crime in Clifton, York, which North Yorkshire Police said is an area showing evidence of County Lines.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Simpson said: “We fully understand the misery that is inflicted by County Lines drugs gangs upon vulnerable people, families, and communities in North Yorkshire.

“For this reason, we will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of targeting drug lines and safeguarding vulnerable people.

“But we need the public to continue to report suspicious activity to us.

“If you see anything suspicious, please get in touch with us, the information maybe the missing piece of the jigsaw that helps us to further protect our communities.”

The North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “If you are a young person who is worried about being involved in county lines, or knows someone who is, you can speak to an adult and let them know how you feel.

“You can also contact www.fearless.org, who allow you to pass on information about crime anonymously.

“You can also contact Childline on 0800 1111 – they are a private and confidential service where you can talk to counsellors about anything that is worrying you.”