A coordinated week-long crackdown on regional drug trafficking networks resulted in 40 arrests and the seizure of thousands of pounds in illicit currency.
The operation, which targeted “county lines” criminal syndicates between December 8 and December 14, 2025, led to the removal of 13 weapons from public circulation, including knives, imitation firearms, and knuckledusters. To date, 17 of those detained have been formally charged with a combined 62 criminal offences.
Law enforcement focused on disrupting the mobile phone-based networks used by urban criminal groups to supply controlled substances to outlying areas. Notable actions during the week included:
- Residential Warrants: On Monday, officers executed search warrants at three linked properties in the Rochester area. Three individuals were apprehended following the discovery of cocaine and significant quantities of cash. One suspect has been remanded in custody on charges of possession with intent to supply, while two others remain on bail.
- Vehicular Interceptions: A vehicle stop in the Maidstone district on Tuesday led to the arrest of three occupants. Searches yielded digital scales, cannabis, and a parcel containing heroin and crack cocaine with an estimated street value of £900. Two men were subsequently charged with multiple supply offences and remanded; a third was released pending further investigation.
- Proactive Patrols: Plain-clothes officers in Folkestone detained a man and a woman on Tuesday after observing suspicious activity. The encounter resulted in the seizure of cash, four wraps of cocaine, and a knife. The female suspect remains under investigation for drug offences and is currently held on an unrelated matter.
County lines operations are characterized by the use of dedicated mobile phone “lines” to facilitate the sale of Class A drugs. These networks frequently rely on the exploitation of vulnerable individuals and children to transport narcotics and cash, often using intimidation to maintain control over local markets.
Detective Inspector Andy Leventis of Kent Police said:
‘County lines drug dealers think nothing of bringing violence and misery to what would otherwise be peaceful towns and cities, which is why we do not hesitate to disrupt their lives by arresting them, taking their cash and weapons, and putting them behind bars. Tackling the supply of illegal substances is daily business for us but operations such as this help to send a clear message to criminals that they are not welcome here in Kent, and that we will do everything in our power to ensure they can no longer pose a risk to innocent members of the public. Anyone who suspects a drug dealer is living near them or is trying to exploit them or someone they know, should report it to us online at www.kent.police.uk/report.’