Thirteen people have been arrested over the course of a week in Cambridgeshire as part of a national crackdown on drugs networking.

Last week saw a national week of action targeting county lines drug gangs across the country, with local activity taking place in Cambridge and Peterborough.

The activity, co-ordinated by the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC), which is jointly run by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), was led by police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs).

Over the week activity included warrants at addresses, visits to vulnerable people including those at risk of cuckooing, and engagement with those who are being exploited by county lines networks.

In Cambridge four men and two teenage boys were arrested and crack cocaine and heroin worth about £730 was seized, along with £2,576 in cash.

In Peterborough five men and two teenage boys were arrested and crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis worth about £1,200 was seized, along with £600 in cash.

Chief Constable Nick Dean said: "Drug networks, and in particular county lines, bring a whole host of criminality to our county, including violence and exploitation which I have set as priorities for us as a force to tackle. The constabulary has been on the front foot in tackling county lines and the intensification week is just a snap shot of the activity we have been conducting. I can reassure the community this work will not stop.

"We have seen some excellent work from local policing teams during this week of action and we will continue to be relentless in our approach to making Cambridgeshire a hostile environment for criminals to operate in, making our county a safer place.

"The public have a vital role to play in building the information and intelligence picture and I am grateful to all those who have come forward to enable us to continue to target those who operate in the drugs environment."

For more information about drug networking visit the force website at https://www.cambs.police.uk/information-and-services/Drug-networking.

Anyone with information about drug networking or exploitation is encouraged to report to police either online at www.cambs.police.uk/report or call 101. Alternatively contact the independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously via www.crimestoppers-uk.org or call 0800 555 111.

The national results can be found here https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/hundreds-arrested-and-more-than-310k-cash-seized-as-part-of-national-activity-targeting-county-lines-drug-gangs.

ENDS

Details of the arrests are below.

Cambridge:

- 34-year-old man from Hackney - arrested for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, released under investigation

- 15-year-old boy from Luton - charged with being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates' court on 15 May

- Fabian Ilo, 18, of Romford Road, London - charged with possession with intent to supply class A drugs, possession of criminal property, breach of a criminal behaviour order (CBO), being concerned in the supply of heroin and being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates' Court on 17 May

- 16-year-old boy from Ilford - charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates' Court on 17 May

- Ilir Baleci, 18, of Fleetwood Road, Slough, - charged with possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin, being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates' Court on 17 May

- 28-year-old man from Cambridge - arrested for possession with intent to supply cannabis, released under investigation

Peterborough:

- 21-year-old man from Huntingdon - arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, released under investigation

- 22-year-old man from London - arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and possession of cannabis, released under investigation

- 23-year-old man from Peterborough - arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, released under investigation

- Jordan Brissett, 19, no fixed abode - charged with possession of cannabis, bailed to appear at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on 31 May

- 17-year-old boy from Peterborough - arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class B drugs, referred to the Youth Offending Service (YOS)

- 19-year-old boy from Peterborough - arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class B drugs, released with no further action

- 15-year-old boy from Peterborough - arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs, released under investigation