Dorset Police’s Operation Viper will involve a dedicated team of police using intelligence and enforcement to prevent county lines coming into the county and make the region a hostile place for those dealing drugs.

During the operation, newly created Neighbourhood Enforcement Teams (NET) are working closely with existing Neighbourhood Policing Teams to provide visibility, proactive enforcement and community engagement. In addition, a dedicated County Lines Task Force is working to disrupt incoming drug networks.

Operation Viper also feeds into the regional intelligence picture to prevent harm and drugs coming into the county from other cities around the country. There has already been significant disruption to these gangs across the county.

In the past six weeks of operation, the NET’s have already seen success with 27 disruption notices issued to people dealing drugs, 10 children identified as being exploited by county lines gangs safeguarded, and 29 arrests as a direct result of proactive action and seven warrants executed, in Bournemouth alone.

Drugs with a street value of almost £100,00 and two vehicles have been seized and significant intelligence gathered to inform further enforcement action across the county in the coming days and weeks.

Dorset Police Chief Constable Scott Chilton said: “Operation Viper is about investing in a new approach to tackling organised drug supply in our county, taking out those criminals bringing misery to our communities and protecting vulnerable people being exploited by county lines drug gangs.

“We now have additional dedicated proactive resources to tackle the issues that county lines brings to communities including the exploitation of young people, violence and anti-social behaviour as well stopping the importation of Class A drugs into Dorset.

“The Neighbourhood Enforcement Teams, working with a proactive County Lines Task Force, is a two-pronged attack on those bringing drugs into our neighbourhoods and causing immeasurable harm. Our County Lines Task Force will target organised crime groups through developing intelligence and covert operations.

“I cannot be clearer on my message to those involved in county lines dealing and selling Class A drugs in Dorset. We will pursue you and you will be caught and dealt with. The public of Dorset, quite rightly, expect us to be relentless in our approach to tackling these gangs. With a clear determined approach, that is what we are doing.”

County lines sees drugs being brought into often rural communities by gangs operating from areas such as London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. Often, young and vulnerable children are used to carry and sell drugs, while the homes of those using drugs locally can be ‘cuckooed’ – effectively taking over their homes to act as temporary bases to sell drugs from.

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said: “Hot on the heels of Operation Scorpion – where we saw all five forces across the south west working together to tackle county lines drugs gangs, Dorset now has its own dedicated and proactive Operation Viper which will target those who come to our county to deal drugs.

“Both the Chief Constable and I share the same tough stance on drugs and now Operation Viper is ready, willing and able to crush county lines, drive out drugs gangs and make Dorset a safer place to be.”

An Operation Viper raid in Boscombe on Thursday, April 21, saw four people arrested for possession with intent to supply drugs as well as the seizure of drugs and cash.