Work by Community Policing Team officers in Margate led to the arrest of three suspected County Line drug dealers – with one revealed to be wanted by Met Police in connection with an attempted murder.
Officers also seized cash and suspected class A drugs.
The team attended a property in Grosvenor Place on Saturday (February 13) following concerns a resident may have been ‘cuckooed’ by drug dealers.
Following their arrival at the property, officers spotted two men trying to leave through a back garden.
One of the men was seen to throw an object away as police approached and both men were arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to supply.
Enquiries later established that one of the men, an 18-year-old from Ilford, east London, was wanted by the Metropolitan Police in connection with an attempted murder investigation following an incident in London on Wednesday, February 10.
A search of the two men and the Margate property led to Kent Police seizing a large quantity of suspected heroin and crack cocaine, a mobile phone and more than £2,000 in cash.
On the same day, a further suspect was arrested in Maidstone town centre on suspicion of drugs offences as part of the same investigation.
The two 18-year-old men arrested in Margate and an 18-year-old man arrested in Maidstone have since been bailed until Wednesday, March 3 while an investigation continues.
Cuckooing is a term for when county line networks take over the home of a vulnerable person so they can use it as a base from which to deal drugs in an area.
Thanet District Commander Chief Inspector Rhiannan Pepper said: “Kent Police is determined to make the county a no-go area for county line groups and I am pleased the proactive work of officers has led to the seizure of suspected drugs and the arrest of three suspects.
“An investigation into activities at this property is ongoing and we will be seeking the prosecution of anyone involved in drug dealing so we can continue to protect vulnerable people in the district.”
Well done KP getting this dirt off our streets.
How on earth can they let these monsters out on bail while investigations are ongoing? Large quantities of heroin and crack cocaine along with £2000 were found after searches and one of those arrested in Margate was wanted by the Met Police for attempted murder. This sounds big but Kent police let them out to carry on while they investigate.
Kent, the police would have been told to release them, I’m sure they would’ve preferred to lock em up and just leave them there to rot!