Watch officers raid a Horsham flat in crackdown on county lines drug dealing

During just one week from September 14 to 19, officers in Sussex made 29 arrests, and seized more than £15,000 worth of drugs, 47 mobile phones, and 13 weapons, mainly knives, as part of a coordinated operation across the UK.

In the same week, local officers visited 68 addresses where people were at risk of being 'cuckooed' to check on their safety. They also identified and took safeguarding action for five particularly vulnerable people who needed extra help and support from the police and local services.

Cuckooing is when drug gangs will take over a vulnerable person's home, using it as a base to deal drugs and commit criminal activity.

On Friday (September 18), local prevention officers raided a flat in Horsham and arrested three people for drugs possession.

Drugs and £500 in cash were seized after police smashed down the front door and caught the occupants inside.

On Thursday, officers in Crawley arrested a man in the town centre for possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, and for assaulting a police officer.

County lines drug dealing refers to drug networks set up by gangs and organised crime groups from large urban areas, such as London, who use young and vulnerable people to carry out illegal activity on their behalf, often in rural areas. Exploitation of children and vulnerable adults, as well as an increasing use of violence, have become hallmarks of the issue.

The West Sussex Community Investigations Team carried out a joint operation with the Metropolitan Police in South London on Wednesday, September 16, which resulted in the arrest and charge of a 20-year-old man for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs in West Sussex.

DS Hale said: "Local crime is often a direct result of major drug distribution via county lines and by working together with partners to shed a light on this often hidden crime. We are sending a clear message to drug dealers that they cannot expect to go undetected in Sussex.

"The organised crime groups tend to use a local property, generally belonging to a vulnerable person, sometimes a drug user, as a base for their activities. This is known as 'cuckooing' and will often happen by force or coercion. In some instances victims have left their homes in fear of violence. Much police work involves identifying these victims and helping them.

"Police continue to see children being exploited by criminal gangs to supply drugs in Sussex. We have experienced children travelling from London to Sussex to deal drugs on behalf of county line gangs as well Sussex children being exploited and targeted by London gangs to deal drugs locally. Our priority is to identify those children at risk of criminal exploitation and once identified work with partner agencies to put the appropriate safeguarding measures in place."

Operations were also carried out in Worthing, Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings during the crackdown, which has reported to have resulted in more than 1,000 arrests across the UK.