Officers and Drug Dog Jasper Target Rail Network in County Lines Operation

A major police exercise on Wednesday 26th November saw officers boarding trains heading into South East Cornwall as part of a push to disrupt county lines drug activity.

Patrols Across Eight Stations

Neighbourhood officers worked with British Transport Police, supported by passive drugs dog Jasper, to spot and deter organised crime groups moving illegal substances into smaller towns.

Jasper patrolled train carriages from Plymouth and was also stationed at ticket barriers to detect anyone carrying drugs.

Across the day, officers patrolled eight train stations, seized drugs on three occasions and removed one knife from circulation. Drug amnesty bins, placed at station entrances by British Transport Police, led to two people disposing of illegal substances before boarding.

Police Stress the Importance of Prevention

Inspector Ned Bowie, who headed up the neighbourhood team, said:
“Whilst the impact of this prevention work is not something we can easily measure, its importance is undeniable.
I am confident that this work has helped to deter and disrupt drug use and supply in our communities, showing criminals that we are taking these crimes seriously, we are being robust, and we are carrying out unpredictable activity to identify those breaking the law.”

Officers in Liskeard, Saltash, Torpoint and Looe also carried out 116 hours of high visibility patrols in areas previously linked to drug crime, along with visits to safeguard individuals vulnerable to county lines exploitation.

Insp Bowie added:
“Please report any information you have to the police. You are the eyes and ears on the streets, the more you tell us about crime, the more action we can take to tackle it.”

British Transport Police Call for Public Support

British Transport Police Detective Inspector Brian Buddo said:
“Intelligence-led operations like these, delivered alongside our police partners, form a core part of our work to tackle County Lines drug supply and arrest offenders.
No area or community is immune to this criminality, and the harmful drugs being peddled across the country tear communities apart, destroying the lives of the most vulnerable in society.
Our dedicated County Lines Taskforce deploy on the rail network every day in uniform and plain clothes to target drug supply, as well as identify and safeguard children exploited to move drugs between locations.
We urge the travelling public who spot the signs of drug dealing or child exploitation to report it to us by texting 61016.”

How to Report Concerns

If you see a crime taking place at a train station or on the railway, report it to British Transport Police online through their Report a crime page.

For all other non emergencies, contact Devon and Cornwall Police via their Report a crime service.

Always call 999 in an emergency.

This operation formed part of Op Scorpion 13, a national effort to tackle drug crime.