Sixty people were arrested, and 51 county lines dismantled as part of a crackdown on illegal drugs and exploitation across Cambridgeshire. Weapons including zombie knives, machetes, knuckle dusters and imitation firearms were also been seized.
Police carried out more than 30 dawns raids in recent weeks across Cambridge, Peterborough, Yaxley, Great Paxton, Burwell, and Little Wilbraham.
But they have also joined up with other forces to target suspected drug dealers in Bedford, Dunstable, Luton, Northampton, Crowland, Leicester, Sheffield, Rotherham, Sheffield, Teesside, Coventry, and London.
Named Operation Hypernova 2, Cambridgeshire police say it has been the culmination of “months of intelligence and partnership working in a bid to make the county hostile towards county lines drugs dealers, prevent further exploitation of young and vulnerable people and reduce serious street-based violence”.
A police spokesperson said: “The operation, which is the biggest of its kind in the county, has resulted in 60 arrests with 33 of those being charged with 93 drug and human trafficking offences.
“Fifty-one county lines have been dismantled with crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, and cannabis seized along with £45,000 in cash and other assets.
“Further lines have been disrupted.”
Cambridgeshire police worked with the Metropolitan Police’ Orochi Team, the Eastern Regional Specialist Operation Unit (ERSOU) and British Transport Police “to identify those individuals posing the greatest threat to the community”.
Detective Inspector Andrew Gaunt-Warner, from Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Intelligence and Specialist Crime Department, said: “Operation Hypernova 2 is the culmination and bringing together of months of intelligence led work to ultimately tackle county lines criminality head.
“And to leave a message to those exploiting the most vulnerable people in our communities that their actions will not be tolerated if they come to Cambridgeshire.
“It saw teams of officers going through doors at dawn to ensure we capitalised on the early evidence, capturing the drugs, phones, money, and assets we need to ensure these people are put behind bars for a lengthy period of time.”
He added: “It has resulted in us dismantling 51 active drug lines into Cambridgeshire from across the country, putting 33 people before the courts, safeguarding people, and reducing the impact of knife crime and serious street-based violence.
“County lines dealers and organised crime groups use drugs as a vehicle to go about their business enterprise but what it really is, is the exploitation of children and vulnerable people in our communities.
“Although these intensification weeks have come to an end, our work to gather intelligence continues daily and we will continue to knock on doors, make arrests and disrupt county lines drug dealing in Cambridgeshire.
“However, we can’t do this alone. We need the public, their intelligence and their concerns reported to us to continue to make our communities and indeed the county a hostile place for county lines.”
DI Gaunt-Warner said that throughout the operation the team have been working closely with partners in the local authority, health, and charity sector to identify and safeguard those individuals who have been exploited or cuckooed as well as vulnerable drug users to ensure they get the support they need.
He said that if you suspect drug dealing is taking place in your area or see anything suspicious or out of place, please call police.
“You don’t have to be certain, just concerned,” he said.
“Report online (www.cambs.police.uk) or call police on 101.
“Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers ( https://crimestoppers-uk.org/) to report anonymously online or by calling 0800 555111.”
