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The week-long operation saw more than 1,400 people arrested. As a result of the raids, police forces across the country safeguarded vulnerable people, including 2,209 children, who it is suspected were being exploited and forced into selling or transporting drugs and cash. The county lines menace sees organised criminals, usually based in cities, use children and vulnerable adults to sell their drugs in smaller towns via dedicated mobile phone numbers.

Vulnerable adults with a home often have it taken over to be used as a dealing base, in a practice known as cuckooing.

Exploited children are frequently from the care system and have been reported as missing, with violence and threats used to coerce them.

From October 11-17, some 894 “cuckooed” addresses were visited.

Officers seized more than £1million in cash, 289 weapons – including 49 guns – a number of cars and 139 drug phones.

They also recovered 6kg of crack cocaine along with nearly 30kg of both heroin and cocaine.

Raids by London’s Met Police saw 400 people arrested and 120 vulnerable people safeguarded, including 96 children.

The force executed 19 warrants in Tower Hamlets, east London.

A spokeswoman said: “The youngest child safeguarded during the week was a 12-year-old girl.

“The Met is doing more than ever before to safeguard those exploited by county lines, including an increased use of modern slavery legislation to charge those at the top of the county lines chain.

“This legislation, which can include preventative and restrictive measures, has helped ensure line holders are subject to court orders with strict conditions, often for many years after they leave custody.”

In 2018, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said there were around 2,000 county lines in operation. This is now thought to be down to about 600.

Graham McNulty, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on county lines, said: “We are making significant inroads into dismantling violent county lines groups.

“The figures speak for themselves: we’re stopping abhorrent criminals abusing young people and lining their own pockets in the process.

“Charities are a vital tool in the fight against county lines and I am delighted that we have been able to work with the Children’s Society again this year. I would encourage parents, teachers, youth workers, members of the public to come forward with any information if you are worried or suspect that a child or young person has become involved in county lines.”

Iryna Pona, policy manager at the Children’s Society, said: “We want ministers to include a legal definition of child criminal exploitation in the new Policing Bill to make it easier for those exploiting children to be brought to justice.”

Last week, the NCA revealed there has been a spate of deaths and poisonings among drug users after heroin was found to have been contaminated, having been bulked up with high-strength synthetic opioids.

The agency is also monitoring the situation in Afghanistan, where most heroin that reaches the UK is produced, to see what happens to the trade following the Taliban takeover. The Taliban has publicly said it will clamp down on heroin production, but the NCA is suspicious as it has historically part-funded the trade . Nikki Holland, NCA director of investigations, said: “The collapse of the Afghan government and move to Taliban control has led to the loss of counter-serious organised crime efforts being able to operate within Afghanistan.

“Although the NCA mission in Afghanistan has now ended, we continue to work with partners in the region to tackle serious and organised crime threats including the Class A drugs trade.”

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