Police have been busy tackling the distribution of drugs in and around Leicester, A total of 27 warrants have been carried out this morning & yesterday, leading to 12 people being arrested.
Operation Lionheart aims to crackdown on County Lines activity which involves drugs being moved in and out of Leicestershire.
Twelve people have been arrested as part of a police operation targeting the sale and distribution of drugs.
A total of 27 warrants have been carried out this morning (Wednesday 10 April) and yesterday, leading to 12 people being arrested.
Four have subsequently been charged with drugs offences and one with a public order offence.
Their arrests come after officers have spent significant time gathering information and evidence on people suspected of being involved in County Lines criminality.
Gangs and organised crime groups involved in County Lines activity use either dedicated mobile phone lines or a person as a ‘deal line’ to supply drugs to other areas of the county, often small towns.
They usually exploit children or vulnerable adults to move and store drugs and money and will use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons.
As part of Operation Lionheart officers are appealing for communities across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to report any County Lines activity they suspect is happening in their area.
Chief Superintendent Adam Streets, head of Local Policing, said: “Drugs ruin lives and cause devastation to communities. We work closely with our partners and are committed to cracking down on those at the root of this type of criminality to ensure they are brought to justice, as well as safeguard anyone being exploited.
“Communities can help us in our efforts by reporting any concerns about the suspected sale and distribution of drugs in their area, no matter how small it may seem. Any details you have could be the missing piece of information we need to take action against people suspected of being involved in County Lines criminality.
“If you are unsure what to look for – there are a number of signs that indicate this type of activity is happening.
We ask everyone to be aware of what they are so they can report it.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident 225 of 2 April.
For more information on County Lines, and how to spot the signs of it happening in your
area,
www.leics.police.uk/countylines
Updated News 11/4/19
Operation Lionheart Results
Total warrants = 33
Total arrests = 13
Total people charged = 11
Operation Lionheart - day 1 (Tuesday 9 April)
A total of 10 people were arrested as part of Operation Lionheart, with five subsequently charged.
Tanzin Suka, 29, of Ottawa Road, Leicester, was charged on Tuesday 9 April with conspiracy to supply class A drugs between 25 November 2018 and 7 March 2019.
Elizabeth Nash, 42, of Burfield Street, Leicester, was charged on Tuesday 9 April with a section 5 public order offence.
Laura Blake, 35, of Peel Drive, Loughborough, was charged on Tuesday 9 April with five counts of supplying class A drugs and permit use of premises for the supply of class A drugs.
Bradley Barrett, 19, of Browning Road, Loughborough, was charged on Tuesday 9 April with three counts of supplying class A drugs, two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A and two counts of posession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Dean Barham, 42, of Rowanberry Avenue, Leicester, was charged on Tuesday 9 April with six counts of supplying class A drugs, one count of offer to supply a class A drug, two counts of permitting the use of a premises for the supply of class A drugs.
Operation Lionheart – day 2 (Wednesday 10 April),
a total of three people were arrested and six number of people charged.
Josh O’Neill, 23, of Millstone Lane, Syston, was arrested on Wednesday 10 April and charged with supply of class A drugs.
Louis Howard, 29, of no fixed address, Leicester, was arrested on Tuesday 9 April and charged on Wednesday 10 April with four counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, one count of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and two counts of possession of criminal property.
Josh Gunn, 18, of Browning Road, Loughborough, arrested on Tuesday 9 April and charged on Wednesday 10 April with 12 counts of supplying a class A drug and two counts of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug.
Dominic Hodges, 20, of Blake Drive, Loughborough, arrested on Tuesday 9 April and charged on Wednesday 10 April with 15 counts of supplying a class A drug.
Byron Pratt, 18, of Limehurst Avenue, Loughborough, arrested on Tuesday 9 April and charged on Wednesday 10 April with three counts of supplying class A drugs.
Tapiwa Chokufa, 24, of Peel Drive, Loughborough, arrested on Tuesday 9 April and charged on Wednesday 10 April with two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs between 1 May 2018 and 1 March 2019.
A 23-year-old man, from Leicester, was arrested on Wednesday 10 April on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and remains in police custody.
A 16-year-old boy, from Leicester, was arrested Wednesday 10 April on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He remains in police custody.
Operation Lionheart results – Thursday 11 April
Total warrants = 57 Total arrests = 23 Total people charged = 13
Operation Lionheart – day 3
A total of 10 people were arrested as part of Operation Lionheart, with two people charged.
Charges
Musawenklosi Nyathi, 23, of Cherrybrook Close, Leicester, arrested Wednesday 10 April has been charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs between 1 May 2018 and 1 March 2019.
A 16-year-old, from Leicester, who can’t be named for legal reasons and was arrested yesterday (10 April), has been charged with one count of supplying class A.
Arrests
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
A 52-year-old man, from Leicester, has been arrested on suspicion of possession of a shotgun without a certificate on 27 January 2019.
A 41-year-old woman, from Leicester, has been arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.
A 27-year-old Leicester man, was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug.
A 20-year-old man, from Leicester, was arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.
A 20-year-old Leicester man was arrested on suspicion of supplying a class A drug.
A 15-year-old boy, from Leicester, was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
A 23-year-old Leicester man was arrested on suspicion of burglary dwelling on 26 December 2018.
A 42-year-old man, from Loughborough, was arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.
A 44-year-old Loughborough man, was arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.
Source :- Leicestershire Police
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