Youth among 42 arrested as police seize drugs worth £500,000 and weapons including machete and axe

A youth is among 42 people who have been arrested after police seized drugs worth £500,000 and weapons including a machete amid a crackdown on criminal operations across Scotland.

Drugs including cannabis, crack cocaine and heroin worth almost half a million pounds were recovered by officers during the operation.

Police officers made the arrests as part of an initiative coordinated by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) to shut down county lines drug deals.

The UK-wide initiative took place between June 23 and 30, during which officers across Scotland safeguarded over 100 vulnerable people and engaged with almost 2,800 more.

Police Scotland said officers visited more than 40 addresses believed to be used by drug dealers as a cuckooing house.

Cuckooing is a highly exploitative practice where criminals take control of a vulnerable person’s home without consent to conduct illegal activities like drug dealing.

Throughout the operation, 42 people, including 34 men, seven women and one male youth, were arrested.

More than 300 cannabis plants worth £280,000 were also recovered during raids at 15 locations.

Other illegal drugs, including £67,000 of herbal cannabis, more than £2,100 of cannabis resin, cocaine and crack cocaine with a street value of more than £85,000, and heroin worth around £45,000 were also seized.

Offensive weapons, including knives, an axe and a machete, were recovered.

Police said county lines drug dealers from larger cities expand their criminal activity into smaller communities to exploit young and vulnerable people to sell drugs, carry cash and weapons.

Officers said the behaviour brings violence, coercion and abuse.

Assistant chief constable Stuart Houston said: “Protecting vulnerable people in our communities, particularly children and young people who are all too often coerced, groomed and threatened by County Lines drug dealers, remains a priority for Police Scotland officers.

“We work tirelessly in partnership with a wide range of organisations, including the members of Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, to target individuals who snare them and force them to carry out crimes on their behalf.”

Mr Houston added: “The positive results during the intensification week are an example of our continuing work in support of national initiatives aimed at frustrating and disrupting the activities of those involved in County Lines drug dealing.

“Organised criminals don’t care about anyone other than themselves, they only care about power and money. They travel to exploit vulnerable people in our communities and their criminality is simply not welcome in Scotland and will not be tolerated.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Anyone who has concerns about County Lines or information about who may be involved in this insidious criminal activity should get in touch with Police Scotland or anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Justice secretary, and chair of Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, Angela Constance, welcomed the outcomes.

“It is despicable that organised criminals seek to benefit by exploiting young and vulnerable people,” she said.

“Partners on Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce are fully committed to using all means at their disposal to identify and support those at risk, and to ensure the criminals involved are brought to justice.”