Police chase in Preston after vehicle abandoned during county lines drugs operation
Dozens of officers took to the streets with a single aim.
A man and woman suspected of drugs offences abandoned a vehicle in a Preston alleyway and fled from the police officers who had stopped them.
The pair were arrested - after what Lancashire Police described as “a short chase” - on suspicion of involvement in the supply of Class A drugs.
The force has not issued details about the location of the stop, but a search of the vehicle led to the discovery of around £900 in cash, a quantity of suspected drugs and three mobile phones - all of which were seized.
The arrests were among eight made during a day of action across the city on Tuesday aimed at disrupting so-called ‘county lines’ drug dealing. That is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, usually across police and local authority boundaries.
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The activity was part of Operation Warrior, established to tackle serious and organised crime in Lancashire. It saw more than 25 plain-clothed officers patrolling the streets of Preston gathering evidence of drug dealing.
The six other people arrested were suspected of offences including affray, burglary and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Ten vehicles were seized during the course of the day as officers carried out targeted stop-searches on the roads.
Preston railway station was also a focus of the operation, with a knife arch deployed and specialist drug detection dogs used to identify anyone carrying illegal substances.
Three community resolutions were issued for drug possession offences, while officers at the station - assisted by British Transport Police - located and took action to safeguard two people who had been reported missing from home.
Preston Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Adam Pearson said: "County lines drug dealing brings exploitation, violence and harm into our communities, and tackling those involved remains a priority for us."
"This multi-agency operation demonstrates the value of partnership working, bringing together local and regional policing resources to disrupt criminal activity, protect vulnerable people and make Preston a safer place to live, work and visit."
Anyone with information about suspected drug dealing in their community is encouraged to report it to Lancashire Police using the non-emergency 101 number or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.