POLICE in Liskeard have taken the fight against drug gangs off the streets and onto the railways, launching a hard-hitting crackdown on targeting county lines activity.

Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police carried out high-visibility patrols on trains passing through the town, confronting criminals suspected of using rail links to funnel drugs into rural communities.

County lines operations rely heavily on trains to move drugs, cash and vulnerable couriers between cities and smaller towns. Indeed, many of those caught up are children or at-risk adults, groomed and exploited by the gangs.

Police Sergeant Gary Smith said the patrols were designed to disrupt that pipeline.

“Patrols like these are just another way that we’re working with our partners, such as British Transport Police, to tackle crime from all angles,” he said. “Our aim was to show the public – and offenders – that we are present, we are visible and that we will not allow the train network to be used for criminality.

“Ultimately, we want to keep everyone safe and prevent crime from happening in the first place - patrols like this play a key part in doing just that.”

The action was carried out in partnership with British Transport Police, which continues to run year-round patrols across the UK to deter crime and protect vulnerable passengers.

The operation formed part of Operation Scorpion, a coordinated week of action targeting drug supply chains and the violence, exploitation and antisocial behaviour they bring.

The results underline the scale of the problem. Across Devon and Cornwall, 17 people were arrested and a further 17 safeguarded, including three children. Officers also visited 14 “cuckooed” addresses, homes taken over by criminals as drug bases.

Seizures included more than 2kg of cocaine, alongside heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis. Police also recovered over £12,000 in cash and seven weapons, including air weapons, a knuckleduster and a telescopic baton.