MORE than £200,000 in drug money has been seized and nearly 300 arrests made in six months in a policing crackdown.

Essex Police's Operation Raptor team, which focusses on serious drug crimes across the county, has managed to close 11 County Lines operations since January this yar.

Figures show that between January 1 and June 30, Op Raptor units seized an average of £1,150 a day.

In the six months to June 2021, a total of £207,517 in cash was seized, 272 arrests made, 104 warrants executed, and 27 weapons seized.

The average sentence in that time for a perpetrator brought to justice through the courts was almost five years.

County Lines phone numbers were being used to sell cocaine and cannabis in Thurrock, Brentwood, Basildon and Southend.

These include that of drug dealer Dane Dacas who was also taken off the streets of Southend by the South Raptor team and jailed for five years and 218 days.

Det Supt Rob Kirby, head of the Essex Police serious violence unit, said: "Drugs are not welcome in Essex.

“We have specialist teams in place throughout the county to tackle this problem and the message to those who are intent on coming into Essex to sell drugs and take advantage of vulnerable people is very simple. We are watching you.

“My teams have a number of sophisticated techniques to catch you. You will be oblivious to the fact we will be building a case with overwhelming evidence until we come for you, remand you and put you before the courts."

Call 101 or visit essex.police.uk.