Police Seize Gold Bars, Teeth and Guns in Major Drug Gang Crackdown
Police have seized an unusual haul of items, including a gold bar, a gold suitcase, and even gold teeth, alongside firearms, during a week-long crackdown on drug gangs across the United Kingdom. The operation, described as the best ever of its kind by authorities, resulted in over 2,000 arrests, with nearly 10 per cent of those detained being children, some as young as 14.
Massive Seizures and Arrests
Officers closed 335 drug lines suspected of supplying heroin, cocaine, and spice-laced vapes across towns and cities, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council. These county lines gangs exploit vulnerable adults and children, using dedicated phone lines to transport and sell drugs. During the operation, police seized more than £1.5 million in cash and around 200kg of Class A substances, including crack, heroin, and cocaine.
Additional seizures included:
- More than 10,500 wraps of Class A drugs
- Around 15,000 cannabis plants
- Nearly 400 bladed weapons, such as knives, machetes, axes, and swords
- 115 other weapons, including knuckledusters and a crossbow
- 121 firearms and ammunition, predominantly converted firearms
- Almost 1,200 phones, dozens of vehicles, and designer watches
- More than £73,000 worth of designer clothing
- Computer equipment, vapes, shisha, and counterfeit tobacco
- 23 dangerous dogs
Unusual Items and Criminal Lifestyle
Commander Paul Brogden, national county lines and gangs lead, highlighted the rare nature of some items seized, such as the gold bar. At Scotland Yard in London, he told the Press Association: We did have an unusual seizure, we had a gold bar seized. I think it might be just indicative of the type of criminal lifestyle some of these drug dealers want to lead, the sort of bragging rights and things.
Kent Police reported that the small pure gold bar was seized during a search of an address in Maidstone on March 2, along with a large quantity of cash and cannabis hidden in frosted apple bags.
Exploitation of Children and Social Media
Mr Brogden emphasized that social media is increasingly being used to entice children into drug dealing, with offers of trainers and football shirts. He explained that young people are targeted with informal posts offering money-making opportunities, almost like a job application, with Snapchat being the most prevalent platform.
This is a crime and it’s one of the most dangerous crimes in terms of exploiting children, he said. It’s a really dangerous environment for children to get involved in, but these criminals do try and coercively control them.
Violence and Changing Tactics
The officer noted that those involved with drug gangs are predominantly men of violence, with about half of dealers having some sort of involvement in terms of violence against women and girls. He added that county lines operations are becoming more localised, moving out of cities into more rural areas.
We’re seeing things like doctored vapes starting to feature more, things like ketamine and cannabis edibles, Mr Brogden said, indicating evolving tactics in the drug trade.
This comprehensive crackdown underscores the ongoing efforts to combat drug-related crime and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation by organized gangs.
