Three arrested as well as drugs, £100k in cash and sports car seized in Bedford and Luton

Three people have been arrested and suspected Class A drugs, cash and a sports car seized after a police operation targeting a suspected county lines drugs gang.

Bedfordshire Police executed four warrants at addresses in and around Bedford and Luton on Wednesday morning.

A man in his 30s, a man in his 20s and a woman in her 20s have all been arrested on suspicion of drugs supply offences as a result of the operation and been taken into police custody.

Officers recovered around half a kilo of a substance believed to be cocaine, almost £100,000 in cash and a brand new Mercedes as part of the warrants.

A child found at one of the addresses was also safeguarded.

Detective Chief Inspector Louisa Glynn said: “We will always take a zero tolerance approach to those we suspect of being involved in county lines, drug dealing and wider organised crime.

“Organised criminal networks ruthlessly exploit children and other vulnerable people to produce and sell their drugs, blighting our communities in order to line their pockets.

“Even in the midst of this national pandemic we know that drugs gangs are still trying to operate.

“We will continue to pursue those we suspect of being involved in order to protect our communities and keep people safe.”

The lockdown restrictions caused by the coronavirus is likely to cause some changes to how local drugs markets operate, say police.

Exploited young people who had been sent across the country by county lines gangs may now be selling drugs more locally.

More dealing may now be taking place from residential homes or abandoned properties, while the gangs may be using their own cars, taxis or private hire vehicles more in order to move young drugs runners around to sell their products.

If you see anything suspicious, such as a number of people regularly coming and going from an address, report this information via 101 or through bedfordshire.police.uk/report

All of this information is fed into police intelligence systems and helps the force build up a picture of organised crime, even if officers do not act on the information straight away.

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.