£90,000 BMW seized and 14 arrested in county lines raids in South Yorkshire and Chesterfield

Police investigating so-called county lines drugs gangs have seized a £90,000 BMW along with a large amount of cash and designer clothing following a series of raids across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire.

Fourteen people were arrested in operations in Sheffield, Rotherham and Chesterfield. Nine men have since been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Det Sgt Simon Cartwright, of Derbyshire Police, said: “The seizures this week show that these criminals are making a considerable amount of money – at the expense of some of the most vulnerable people in our communities."

He said a man and a woman had been "safeguarded after being found to be in the grip of the criminal gangs".

County lines is the practice of trafficking drugs into rural areas and smaller towns, away from major cities. Gangs often recruit vulnerable children as drug dealers.

Det Sgt Cartwright added: "These warrants have been conducted with the support of our colleagues in South Yorkshire Police, who we work closely with to ensure that county lines gangs, as well as those committing other types of crime, have no place to hide."

Cllr Jill Mannion-Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, added: "Each day officers are working hard to remove drug dealers from our communities and the council is continuing to do everything it can to support them in their efforts.

"If you think county lines drug dealing may be going on in your area, please report it as soon as possible. Even the slightest bit of information could help to protect vulnerable people and prevent drugs being sold in our communities."