A man from leafy Swanpool Lane, Aughton has been arrested as police carried out four weeks of raids on a suspected major county lines drug dealing operation.

Seven men from West Lancashire, including three teenagers from Skelmersdale, were among the dozens charged after a Lincolnshire Police led operation intercepted suspected major drug dealing operations.

More than £300,000 in assets were seized including designer watches, clothing, electrical goods and cars, as well as more than £55,000 in cash, an estimated £53,000 of Class A crack and heroin and a cannabis worth £12k.

Guns and weapons were also seized as officers from Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) helped carry out 38 raids during the month long enforcement.

Among the 41 men charged, seven from West Lancashire are due to go before Lincoln Crown Court on September 24 to face accusations of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs including Ryan Williams, 32, of Swanpool Lane, Aughton who also faces an additional charge of possession of criminal property.

Operation Stabilise targeted networks in which illegal drugs are transported across Lincolnshire, Lancashire, and Nottinghamshire. The ten-month investigation included officers and police staff ranging from PCs, intelligence officers and detectives, to armed response officers, and forensics units, and saw 10 separate drug conspiracy investigations conducted.

Reflecting on the wider problem of County Lines and drug use, CI Phil Baker from the Lincolnshire force said: “The sale and use of drugs blights entire neighbourhoods, and feeds into the much darker world of County Lines which entices young people into a life of crime through selling a lifestyle before loyalty is tested.

“This is often done by asking for favours and offering a sense of protection, which can then lead to those exploited being trapped through debt bondage, trafficking, isolation from family and friends and physical, psychological and sexual abuse.

“As well as exploiting vulnerable people, County Lines activity also feeds addiction at a local level, and the drug use itself is just the tip of the iceberg; with it comes a bevvy of associated crime such as theft, antisocial behaviour, or violent offences.

“The leaders of organised crime gangs live lavish lifestyles, spending thousands on designer clothes, watches or gadgets, while the people they exploit to traffic drugs or those using them are often living lives so far removed from luxury. In short, drugs damage our communities and lives, and we will not tolerate County Lines networks in our area.

“As a force we have a unique partnership approach to dealing with local-level drug use, working with the local health services, addiction charities, homeless services, and local authorities to help people escape a life of addiction.

"Disrupting the efforts of dealers selling in our towns and cities goes a long way to breaking that chain and providing those with addiction a chance to improve their lives.”