Three arrested during early morning Wigan raids in latest crackdown on county lines drug crimes

Officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Wigan Complex Safeguarding Team, supported by Wigan Challenger team, local neighbourhood officers and the tactical aid unit, executed warrants at three addresses in Aspull, Ince and Wigan as part of an ongoing probe into a county drugs line operating in the area.

An 18-year-old woman, 17-year-old boy and a 21-year-old man were all arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to sell the class B drug of cannabis and modern slavery.Officers leading the inquiry believe the controllers of the drug line are using young teenagers to deal drugs for them.

During the operation, the team seized mobile phones, debtors’ lists and cannabis.

Det Insp Patrick Wood, of GMP’s Wigan Challenger Team, said: “One of the issues we have in Wigan which we’ve mentioned before is county lines.

“Because of our proximity to Merseyside, we have a lot of gangs coming over and setting up county lines in Wigan.

"This one however is more of an internal line run mainly by people in Wigan itself.

"It’s classed as the ‘wizard line’.

"What we identified is they were using young children, showing a child criminal exploitation (CCE) element to it which we hadn’t seen here in Wigan, which put the risk levels quite high up.

"Today’s warrants are the culmination of a thorough investigation by our Complex Safeguarding Team, which is dedicated to tackling CCE in the area.

"Drugs supply has blighted members of this community for some time and results like today go a long way to help combat it.“The investigation has identified significant members of the county line and we have now arrested these nominals.

"We believe the adult members of the line have conspired with each other to distribute illegal drugs and are exploiting children and recruiting them into drug supply.

“Arresting these individuals allows us to protect and safeguard vulnerable children connected to the suspects and others within the community, resulting in further prevention of exploitation.

"Where we identify any victim of CCE, we’re able to utilise our strong working relationships with partners to ensure we enact comprehensive safeguarding measures to support victims and remove them from the risks of this lifestyle.

“On the back of today’s warrants, we will also work with our partners through the Wigan Challenger Partnership Board, taking the ‘Achilles heel’ approach to this type of criminality where we will look at other enforcement action against those arrested such as any breaches of housing agreements, benefit claims and proceeds of crime offences and colleagues from Wigan Council are already involved in supporting today’s activity."

Det Insp Wood is also urging anyone who may have suspicions regarding county lines and modern slavery to contact police.

He added: ““We cannot secure results like this without the support of the local community, their support in reporting intelligence to us means we can play a part in making our neighbourhoods safer.

"We know previously we’ve had people contact us and nothings been done.

"Hopefully from today and work over the last 12 months it shows we are listening to people.

"Anything with drug dealing, county lines especially when there’s children involved we take really seriously.”

Anyone with information can contact GMP on 101, via its live chat feature or on 999 in case of emergency.

Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.