Basingstoke officers seize more than £8,000 in cash and arrest nine people during County Lines Intensification Week

Police in Basingstoke seized more than £8,000 in cash, arrested nine people and disrupted various drugs lines during County Lines Intensification week.

The week of intensification, which ran from Monday 9 October until Sunday 15 October, saw officers focus their efforts on County Lines.

County Lines is a term used to describe organised criminal networks who move illegal drugs out of larger cities into smaller towns and cities in the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines.

They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money, and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence and weapons.

During the intensification week, Basingstoke officers executed warrants, made arrests and carried out proactive patrols and stop checks.

They worked tirelessly to tackle the drug supply and related high harm that brings violence and misery to communities and exposes young people at risk to exploitation.

On Monday 9 October, officers executed a warrant at an address in London which was believed to be linked to a County Line running in Basingstoke. A man was arrested and later charged.

Mustapha Fofanah, 28, from Thurlow Street, London, was charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drug x 2.

He appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on 10 October and has been remanded in custody. He is next due to appear at the same court on 13 November.

On the same day, officers executed a warrant at an address on Silk Throwsters Way in Whitchurch. A weapon and a mobile phone was seized.

Meanwhile, a quantity of Class B drugs was seized and a community resolution order was issued after officers attended an address in Winklebury Centre.

Later that day, a 21-year-old man from Basingstoke was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle following proactive patrols by officers on Winklebury Way. He has been released under investigation and our enquiries are ongoing.

On Tuesday 10 October, officers arrested five people in connection with drugs offences in Basingstoke.

Officers searched a property on Claythorpe Road and found a number of weapons, including large knives and a sword. A quantity of suspected Class A drugs, cash and mobile phones were also seized from the property.

Of the five people arrested, two have been charged.

Adam Misir, 25, from Croyland Road, London, was charged with being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug x 2.

He appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on 12 October and was remanded in custody. Misir is due to appear at Winchester Crown Court on 15 November.

A 15-year-old boy from Watford was charged with being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug x 2 and assault by beating of an emergency worker.

He was remanded and is due to appear at Winchester Crown Court on 15 November.

A 61-year-old woman from Basingstoke and two 16-year-old boys from London were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.

They have been bailed while our enquiries continue.

On Thursday 12 October, a 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled drug of Class A after officers located drugs in Deep Lane, Basingstoke.

On the same day, officers seized a knife following a search of a man in his 30s on Stratfield Road.

On Friday 13 October, officers executed a proactive drugs warrant at an address on Quonset Avenue in Basingstoke.

Officers gained entry to the property and seized more than £8,000 in cash, Class B drugs, weapons and mobile phones.

A 27-year-old man from Basingstoke was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug, possession of a controlled drug of Class B and acquiring, using, possessing criminal property.

He has been bailed until 13 January while our enquiries continue.

Basingstoke Police Sergeant Karla Leese said: “Disrupting County Lines drug dealing and preventing the exploitation of children and vulnerable people in Basingstoke and Deane is a priority for us and this week of action has proven to be a great success.

“Our dedicated officers have been out disrupting County Lines operations in Basingstoke and Deane and have arrested nine people as part of the intensification week.

“What’s more, three people have been charged and their cases are currently going through the courts.

“Weeks of action are carried out on top of the work we do all year round to identify those involved in drugs and county lines networks and it is only made possible by the reports we get from our residents, our partners and the community.

“Where there are drugs, there is almost always violence which is why tackling and disrupting the supply of drugs, especially through County Lines, is a vital part of our work to reduce violent crime and keep people safe.

“Please continue to tell us about any suspected drugs activity in your neighbourhood so we can safeguard children and vulnerable adults and bring offenders to justice.”

To make a report, you can contact us on 101 or make a report via our website at https://www.hampshire.police.uk/.

If you don’t want to report to the police directly, you can report to the charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

For information on spotting the signs of exploitation please visit The Children Society’s website https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/child-criminal-exploitation-and-county-lines/spotting-signs