A Motherwell man has been charged following a huge police operation in Manchester.
British Transport Police (BTP) officers reportedly recovered £6.1million of cannabis as part of a two-day County Lines taskforce operation last week.
Cops targeted stations across Manchester on Monday and Tuesday while intelligence led to a search where a quarter of a ton of cannabis was allegedly found from an address in the English city.
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Following the operation, the force revealed Craig Tomlinson, from Motherwell, was charged with allegedly being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs (Cannabis).
The 50-year-old appeared before Carlisle Magistrates on Thursday. He was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Manchester Crown Court on December 12.
The 56-year-old was also remanded in custody until his next appearance on December 12 at Manchester Crown Court.
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Meanwhile, a 17-year-old from the West Mercia area was also charged with the alleged possession of and intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine and the possession of criminal property.
BTP say the multi-agency operation, dubbed Op Blume, was led by the force's specialist County Lines taskforce and supported by Greater Manchester Police and the City of London Police dog sections.
The taskforce deployed officers from BTP’s dog section, Neighbourhood Policing Team, and Operational Support Unit while plain-clothed officers and knife arches were also integral to the operation.
During the two days of action, nine people were nicked, 45 stop and searches were carried out, and three addresses were searched in Manchester, Rochdale, and West Mercia.
Officers revealed a knife and £30,000 in cash were also seized while two children were identified and referred to safeguarding services.
One adult was also safeguarded at a cuckooed address in the Manchester area.
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“Our dedicated team works across the whole rail network every day tackling this exploitative activity and is pivotal in intercepting the supply of drugs and making safeguarding interventions to protect vulnerable people from ruthless gangs.”
Det. Supt Craig Payne added: “Robust operations like this take place across the rail network every day to disrupt County Lines.
"Sometimes you’ll spot us, sometimes you won’t.
“Our mission remains to dismantle and disrupt criminal enterprises and to identify and safeguard those who are being exploited and relentlessly pursue those who have targeted them.
“We will not waver in our determination to stop the exploitation and associated harm caused by county lines gangs, making our communities and railways safer.
“We urge anyone using the rail network to report any concerns to us through our discreet text number 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 and to be aware that victims of exploitation may not always be obvious nor aware they are indeed victims.”
County Lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of ‘deal line’.
The networks and the criminal enterprises they run devastate communities and are linked to violence, weapons and gangs, BTP say.
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