Cheshire officers partner with British Transport Police for successful county-lines crackdown

Officers from Macclesfield joined the British Transport Police in a county-lines stop and search operation that saw drugs and weapons seized.

Macclesfield police officers teamed up with British Transport Police (BTP) on Thursday 11 May to conduct a day of cross border activity, directly targeting those involved in drug related crime.

The activity forms part of the force’s ongoing attempt to tackle county-lines drug dealing, known as Operation Medusa.

As part of the operation, officers were also joined by six Magistrates from Greater Manchester, BTP Drug Dog Handler Karl Harvey and Police Dog Ash, as searches were conducted at Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport and Macclesfield train stations.

Over the course of the day three people were arrested and 26 stop searches were conducted, with 18 resulting in cannabis being found. Of that 18, eight cannabis seizures were in Macclesfield.

A 17-year-old male was arrested for during the operation in Macclesfield on suspicion of possession with intent to supply illegal drugs (Class B), with a quantity of cannabis, drug paraphernalia and a bladed article being seized.

A woman was also arrested in Macclesfield on shoplifting charges.

BTP officers also made an arrest at Manchester Piccadilly relating to the possession of a bladed article.

Sergeant Matthew Bassirat of Macclesfield Local Policing Unit said:

“The operation in Macclesfield alongside our colleagues from British Transport Police was aimed at targeting criminals who sell drugs in our communities and carry weapons.

“Criminality has no borders and these groups will do all they can to make criminal gains by exploiting the most vulnerable in our society. By working together we’re also showing that we too have no borders and will continue to work together to rid those involved in supplying drugs.

“You too can help us. We realise we can’t do this alone and rely on the information provided to us by the public so that we can act against those who exploit adults and children to deliver and deal drugs on their behalf.”

Sergeant Andy Platt of the British Transport Police added:

“We remain determined to identify and locate those distributing drugs up and down the country, which is why we must work jointly with partners and other police forces to put offenders behind bars and take these dangerous substances off our streets.

“If you see any activity that doesn’t look right, you can contact the British Transport Police on 61016.”

If you have any information about any illegal activity in your area, please contact Cheshire Police by calling 101 or report it via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.