Four arrested and class A drugs and large amounts of cash seized in Hertfordshire police operation in Cambridge and Essex targeting county lines gang
Hertfordshire police arrested four men – two from Saffron Walden and two from the Cambridge area – during an operation targeting an organised county lines crime group.
A series of warrants was conducted in Cambridgeshire and Essex on Thursday August 8, during which three men were arrested.
Later in the day, a vehicle believed to be linked to organised crime was detected by an ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) camera. It was tracked from Cambs through Essex and followed by a police helicopter into London, where it was stopped and a fourth man was arrested.
Class A drugs, large amounts of cash and other paraphernalia consistent with drug dealing were seized during the operation .
Two men – Fatlum Dautaj, 24, of Ermine Street North, Papworth Everard, and Ervis Kastrati, 30, of Sackville Close, Cambridge – were charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Both have been remanded in custody.
Two men, aged 31 and 26, from Saffron Walden who were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs have been released on police bail while the investigation continues.
Det Sgt Chris Cowell, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s serious and organised crime command, said: “This operation targeted the ‘Ben’ line, which was operating in the North and East Herts areas, as well as in South Cambridgeshire.
“We will continue to take a very proactive approach to targeting drug dealing in the county, working with our partners in other agencies to make it difficult for these crime groups to operate, preventing new gangs becoming established and targeting them early before they get a foothold and serious offences can occur.”
The operation was led by Hertfordshire’s specialist county lines team, Operation Mantis, and supported by units from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) and London’s Metropolitan Police.
You can report information about drug crime online, speak to an operator in the force communications room via online web chat or call non-emergency number 101. If a crime is in progress call 999.
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or through the independent charity’s online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will never need to go to court.
The Operation Mantis team, launched in 2018, is made up of officers who specialise in targeting serious and organised crime. Since May 2019 the team has executed hundreds of search warrants, made more than 400 arrests and seized over £392,000 in cash. This has led to numerous county lines gangs being dismantled and offenders sentenced to more than 600 years in prison in total.
County lines is the name given to describe drug-dealing which involves criminal networks from urban areas expanding their activities into smaller towns and rural areas. Dealers typically use a single phone line to facilitate the supply of class A drugs to customers. The phone line is highly valuable and is protected through violence and intimidation.
County lines often involves exploiting children, as gangs use young people and those with mental health or addiction problems to transport drugs and money. These gangs establish a base in the location they are targeting, often taking over the homes of vulnerable adults by force or coercion in a practice referred to as ‘cuckooing’.
How to spot signs of cuckooing in your neighbourhood
• Lots of people coming and going from an address during the day and at night
• Suspicious smells coming from the property
• Windows covered or curtains closed all of the time
• Cars pulling up to, or near to, the house for a short period of time
• An increase in anti-social behaviour around the property.
If someone you know has a drug problem, they can get help by contacting Frank on 0800 776600 or visiting www.talktofrank.com.
