DRUG gangs have been targeted as part of a national week of action against heroin and crack cocaine networks, police said.

The force executed 29 warrants last week, made 73 arrests and seized weapons, almost £20,000 in cash and drugs from people suspected of running cross-border drugs supply chains.

The action formed part of a County Lines Intensification Week that saw police forces across the UK share intelligence and join forces to tackle offenders who often exploit vulnerable people, including children, to deal drugs on their behalf.

On Monday (October 7) officers from a West Midlands Police gangs unit teamed up with West Mercia Police to target a man suspected of running drugs from Birmingham into Droitwich − and potentially making £4,000 per day. 

The 31-year-old, from Birmingham, was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to supply, while the 40-year-old driver, from Droitwich, was held on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs.

Both have been released under investigation while officers conduct more enquiries.

Later in the week (October 11), police in Tipton raided two homes linked to a man suspected of supplying Class A drugs into Hereford. 

At one address officers found a zombie style knife hidden under a bed and a Samurai sword behind the door; no arrests were made but enquiries continue.

Superintendent Rich Agar is West Midlands Police’s lead for County Lines.

He said: “There have been several national weeks of action now aimed at County Lines drug dealing and this has been our most successful to date. 

“County Lines is a cruel crime; offenders are making significant sums of money out of the misery of other people."

The national week of action (7 to 13 Oct) − coordinated by the National County Lines Coordination Centre − led to more than 700 arrests by UK police, plus the seizure of drugs valued at half a million pounds.

There are around 100 County Lines suspected of emanating from the West Midlands supplying heroin and cocaine into rural areas as far afield as Wales, the south coast and Scotland.