Three men aged 35, 46 and 47 from Preston have been arrested in a major drugs investigation to tackle county lines dealing.

On February 25 officers, alongside police from Merseyside, Cumbria, Police Scotland and British Transport Police went to tackle the drug supply.

Warrants were executed across the county including addresses in Preston, as well as Blackpool, Lancaster and Morecambe, with a quantity of suspected Class A drugs, cash, phones and an imitation firearm seized.

Detective Chief Inspector Becky Smith, of Lancashire Police, said: “County lines is an increasingly significant threat both nationally and locally within Lancashire.

“Areas within the county such as Blackpool, Lancaster, Morecambe and Preston are targeted by these gangs as there is a demand for Class A drugs and high levels of vulnerability. While for years we have worked hard to tackle the supply of controlled drugs into our communities, County Lines is far more concerning as it involves the exploitation of vulnerable children and adults who are often subjected to coercion, threats and serious violence.

“We are determined to tackle county lines drug dealing in Lancashire, keep our communities safe, bring criminals to justice and protect the vulnerable.“

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, said: “This operation is a fantastic example of the work that officers carry out across Lancashire around the clock to help keep people safe. We work with partners both within and outside the county to tackle county lines drugs gangs and take them off our streets.

“It is also clear from this operation how different teams within the force work around the clock to tackle crime in the county. We often see a range of specialist officers and different policing teams involved, highlighting that officers have the skills, resources and determination to stop criminal gangs.

“A lot of the work being done to combat criminal gangs often goes unseen but it is happening and information from the public plays a vital role in supporting our officers’ hard work to keep people across Lancashire safe.”

All three Preston men have been arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Seven others, from Chorley, Liverpool and Birmingham, have also been arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply or on suspicion of supplying a controlled drug.

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