£20,000 worth of heroin and cocaine seized in Sandwell as 18 arrests made

Police recovered £20,000 of class A drugs in Sandwell as more than a dozen people were arrested for drugs offences last week.

Sandwell police teams executed nine drugs warrants during the week, from 27 February to 5 March, and arrested 18 people on drugs-related offences.

£400,000 of of cannabis was sezied as well as £20,000 of heroin and cocaine, and police recovered a number of weapons, including knives and a Taser.

Forces from across Sandwell Police and West Midlands Police worked alongside officers in Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Mercia in cross-border operations against the drugs supply chains.

Police visited 17 addresses they believed were being used for ‘cuckooing’ - which is taking over the home of a vulnerable person in order to establish a base - and one man was arrested on drugs offences.

What has West Midlands Police said about the operation?

Sgt Dave Rogers, from Sandwell Police, said: “Our teams also reached out to the children themselves with more than 800 youngsters at schools around the borough hearing about the dangers of being drawn into drugs networks.

“And our work here in Sandwell continues this week and every week, to bring down the drugs lines and, alongside partners in local authorities, health and charities, to help divert our young people who are vulnerable to County Lines exploitation away from criminal gangs and on to brighter futures.”